# 苦

| 苦 | U+82E6, &#33510; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-82E6 |
| ← 若 [U+82E5] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 苧 → [U+82E7] |
| 苦 | U+2F996, &#194966; CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F996 |
| ← 芽 [U+2F995] | CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement | 𦬼 → [U+2F997] |

## Translingual
### Han character

苦 (Kangxi radical 140, 艸+6 in traditional Chinese, 艸+5 in mainland China and Japanese, 9 strokes in traditional Chinese, 8 strokes in mainland China and Japanese, cangjie input 廿十口 (TJR), four-corner 4460$_4$, composition ⿱艹古)

#### Derived characters

* 𠸋, 𡞯, 𭝩, 𢱗, 楛, 𤋼, 𥟾, 𱢵, 𨐡, 𨡱, 𤐞, 𧁹, 𩹜, 𱿁
* 𭵌, 𱽳, 𮏫, 𮐤, 𮐽, 𱾛, 𮑟, 𮒀, 𱾮, 𧁷, 𧃵, 𫊐, 𮓄, 𢝨, 𥯶, 瘔, 𮤙

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 1023, character 16
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 30797
* Dae Jaweon: page 1482, character 13
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 5, page 3186, character 2
* Unihan data for U+82E6
* Unihan data for U+2F996

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 苦 :
| Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 箇 | *kaːls |
| 個 | *kaːls |
| 居 | *kɯ, *kas |
| 橭 | *kaː, *kʰaː |
| 嫴 | *kaː |
| 姑 | *kaː |
| 辜 | *kaː |
| 酤 | *kaː, *kaːs, *ɡaːʔ |
| 蛄 | *kaː |
| 鴣 | *kaː |
| 沽 | *kaː, *kaːʔ, *kaːs |
| 盬 | *kaː, *kaːʔ |
| 古 | *kaːʔ |
| 罟 | *kaːʔ |
| 估 | *kaːʔ |
| 鈷 | *kaːʔ |
| 詁 | *kaːʔ |
| 牯 | *kaːʔ |
| 故 | *kaːs |
| 固 | *kaːs |
| 稒 | *kaːɡs |
| 痼 | *kaːɡs |
| 錮 | *kaːɡs |
| 鯝 | *kaːɡs |
| 棝 | *kaːɡs |
| 凅 | *kaːɡs |
| 枯 | *kʰaː |
| 軲 | *kʰaː |
| 跍 | *kʰaː |
| 骷 | *kʰaː |
| 苦 | *kʰaːʔ, *kʰaːs |
| 葫 | *qʰaː, *ɡaː |
| 餬 | *ɡaː |
| 瑚 | *ɡaː |
| 湖 | *ɡaː |
| 鶘 | *ɡaː |
| 猢 | *ɡaː |
| 醐 | *ɡaː |
| 糊 | *ɡaː |
| 箶 | *ɡaː |
| 蝴 | *ɡaː |
| 胡 | *ɡaː |
| 瓳 | *ɡaː |
| 怙 | *ɡaːʔ |
| 祜 | *ɡaːʔ |
| 岵 | *ɡaːʔ |
| 婟 | *ɡaːʔ, *ɡaːɡs |
| 楛 | *ɡaːʔ |
| 据 | *ka |
| 裾 | *ka |
| 琚 | *ka |
| 椐 | *ka, *kas, *kʰa |
| 鶋 | *ka |
| 蜛 | *ka |
| 崌 | *ka |
| 涺 | *ka |
| 腒 | *ka, *ɡa |
| 鋸 | *kas |
| 倨 | *kas |
| 踞 | *kas |
| 涸 | *ɡaːɡ |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *kʰaːʔ, *kʰaːs): semantic 艸 (“grass”) + phonetic 古 (OC *kaːʔ) – bitter (as in bitter plants).

### Etymology 1

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-ka (“bitter; salty”); compare Tibetan ཁ (kha, “bitter”), Tangut 𗎖 (*khie¹, “bitter”) (STEDT; Jacques, 2014). Within Chinese, cognate with 肝 (OC *kaːn, “liver”).

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): kǔ (ku$^3$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄎㄨˇ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ku$^3$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): kù
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): fu$^2$
    (Dongguan, Jyutping++): fu$^2$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): fu$^2$
* Gan (Wiktionary): ku$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): fú / khú
    (Hailu, HRS): fu$^ˊ$ / ku$^ˊ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): fu$^3$ / ku$^3$
* Jin (Wiktionary): ku$^2$
* Northern Min (KCR): kǔ
* Eastern Min (BUC): kū
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): kou$^3$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): khó͘
    (Teochew, Peng'im): kou$^2$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): keu$^2$ / ku$^2$
* Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): hu$^2$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^5$khu
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): ku$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: kǔ
*** Zhuyin: ㄎㄨˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: kǔ
*** Wade–Giles: kʻu$^3$
*** Yale: kǔ
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: kuu
*** Palladius: ку (ku)
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰu²¹⁴/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: ku$^3$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: ku
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰu⁵³/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: kù
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰu⁵³/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: fu$^2$
*** Yale: fú
*** Cantonese Pinyin: fu$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: fu$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /fuː³⁵/
** (Dongguan, Guancheng)
*** Jyutping++: fu$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /fu³⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: fu$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /fu⁵⁵/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: ku$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰu²¹³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: fú / khú
*** Hakka Romanization System: fu$^ˋ$ / ku$^ˋ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: fu$^3$ / ku$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /fu³¹/, /kʰu³¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: fu$^ˊ$ / ku$^ˊ$
*** Sinological IPA: /fu²⁴/, /kʰu²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: fu$^3$ / ku$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /fu³¹/, /kʰu³¹/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: ku$^2$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /kʰu⁵³/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: kǔ
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰu²¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: kū
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰu³³/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: kou$^3$
*** Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: kô
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰɔu⁴⁵³/
** (Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: kou$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰɔu³³²/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khó͘
*** Tâi-lô: khóo
*** Phofsit Daibuun: qor
*** IPA (Xiamen): /kʰɔ⁵³/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰɔ⁵⁵⁴/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /kʰɔ⁵³/
*** IPA (Taipei): /kʰɔ⁵³/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /kʰɔ⁴¹/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: kou$^2$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khóu
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰou⁵²/
** (Leizhou)
*** Leizhou Pinyin: keu$^2$ / ku$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /kʰɛu³¹/, /kʰu³¹/
* keu2 - vernacular;
* ku2 - literary.
* Middle Chinese: khuX, khuH
Rime :
| Character | 苦 | 苦 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 溪 (29) | 溪 (29) |
| Final (韻) | 模 (23) | 模 (23) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | I | I |
| Fanqie | 康杜切 | 苦故切 |
| Baxter | khuX | khuH |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /kʰuo$^X$/ | /kʰuo$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /kʰuo$^X$/ | /kʰuo$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /kʰo$^X$/ | /kʰo$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /kʰɔ$^X$/ | /kʰɔ$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /kʰo$^X$/ | /kʰo$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /kʰu$^X$/ | /kʰu$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /kʰuo$^X$/ | /kʰuo$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | kǔ | kù |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | fu$^2$ | fu$^3$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*kʰˤaʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*kʰaːʔ/, /*kʰaːs/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 苦 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | kǔ |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ khu$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*kʰˁaʔ/ |
| English | bitter |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 苦 | 苦 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| No. | 4242 | 4243 |
| Phonetic component | 古 | 古 |
| Rime group | 魚 | 魚 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 苦 | 絝 |
| Old Chinese | /*kʰaːʔ/ | /*kʰaːs/ |

#### Definitions

苦
* bitter
    苦瓜 ― kǔguā ― bittermelon
* Alternative name for 荼 (tú, “bitter plant”).
* difficult; painful; hard
* hardship; suffering
    辛苦 ― xīnkǔ ― laborious; hard; miserable
* (regional) excessive
* (transitive) to cause someone suffering; to give someone a hard time
* to suffer from; to be handicapped by
    From: 648 CE, Fang Xuanling (lead editor), Book of Jin
    Wèi Wǔ yuē: “Rén kǔ wúzú, jì dé Lǒngyòu, fù yù dé Shǔ!” [Pinyin]
    (Emperor) Wu of Wei said: "Men suffer from insatiability, already having Longyou yet still wanting to get Shu!"
* (obsolete or Eastern Min) to worry about; to be concerned about
* strenuously; painstakingly
    苦笑 ― kǔxiào ― to force a smile

##### Synonyms

* (difficult): 難過／难过 (nánguò)
* (excessive):
* 不像話 / 不像话 (bùxiànghuà)
* 不成話 / 不成话 (bùchénghuà)
* 偏激 (piānjī) (thoughts, attitudes)
* 太甚 (tàishèn)
* 太過 / 太过 (tàiguò)
* 過分 / 过分 (guòfèn)
* 過度 / 过度 (guòdù)
* 過火 / 过火 (guòhuǒ)
* 過甚 / 过甚 (guòshèn) (literary)
* 過當 / 过当 (guòdàng)
* 過角 / 过角 (Xiamen Hokkien, Zhangzhou Hokkien)
* 過頭 / 过头 (guòtóu)
* (to suffer from): 苦於／苦于 (kǔyú)

##### Antonyms

* (antonym(s) of “bitter”): 甘 (gān), 甜 (tián)

#### Descendants

* → Japanese: 苦(く) (ku)
* → Korean: 고(苦) (go)
* → Vietnamese: khổ (苦)

#### Compounds

* 一片苦心
* 不以為苦 / 不以为苦
* 不知甘苦
* 不苦歡 / 不苦欢
* 不苦詐 / 不苦诈
* 不辭勞苦 / 不辞劳苦 (bùcíláokǔ)
* 伶仃孤苦
* 何苦 (hékǔ)
* 作苦
* 何苦來 / 何苦来 (hékǔlái)
* 倒懸之苦 / 倒悬之苦
* 停辛佇苦
* 備嘗艱苦 / 备尝艰苦
* 備嘗辛苦 / 备尝辛苦
* 免苦錢 / 免苦钱
* 八苦
* 冥思苦想 (míngsīkǔxiǎng)
* 冥思苦索 (míngsīkǔsuǒ)
* 冤苦
* 冤苦錢 / 冤苦钱
* 分甘共苦
* 刻苦 (kèkǔ)
* 刻苦耐勞 / 刻苦耐劳
* 勞苦 / 劳苦
* 勞苦功高 / 劳苦功高 (láokǔgōnggāo)
* 勤苦 (qínkǔ)
* 匏有苦葉 / 匏有苦叶
* 千辛百苦
* 千辛萬苦 / 千辛万苦 (qiānxīnwànkǔ)
* 厭苦 / 厌苦
* 受苦 (shòukǔ)
* 叫苦 (jiàokǔ)
* 叫苦不迭 (jiàokǔbùdié)
* 叫苦連天 / 叫苦连天 (jiàokǔliántiān)
* 同甘共苦 (tónggāngòngkǔ)
* 同甘同苦
* 合苦
* 吃苦 (chīkǔ)
* 吐苦水
* 吃苦耐勞 / 吃苦耐劳 (chīkǔnàiláo)
* 吃苦頭 / 吃苦头 (chī kǔtou)
* 含辛茹苦 (hánxīnrúkǔ)
* 命苦 (mìngkǔ)
* 嘴甜心苦
* 嚥苦吞甘 / 咽苦吞甘
* 困苦 (kùnkǔ)
* 埋頭苦幹 / 埋头苦干 (máitóukǔgàn)
* 堅苦 / 坚苦 (jiānkǔ)
* 堅苦卓絕 / 坚苦卓绝
* 報苦窮兒 / 报苦穷儿
* 大苦
* 孤苦 (gūkǔ)
* 孤苦伶仃 (gūkǔlíngdīng)
* 孤苦無依 / 孤苦无依 (gūkǔwúyī)
* 孤苦零丁 (gūkǔlíngdīng)
* 害苦
* 家貧命苦 / 家贫命苦
* 寒苦
* 忆苦思甜 (yìkǔsītián)
* 怨憎會苦 / 怨憎会苦
* 恤孤念苦
* 恨苦
* 恨苦修行
* 患苦
* 悲苦 (bēikǔ)
* 悽苦 / 凄苦
* 愛別離苦 / 爱别离苦
* 愁眉苦目
* 愁眉苦眼
* 愁眉苦臉 / 愁眉苦脸 (chóuméikǔliǎn)
* 愁苦 (chóukǔ)
* 慳吝苦剋 / 悭吝苦克
* 憐貧恤苦 / 怜贫恤苦
* 挖苦 (wākǔ)
* 攢眉苦臉 / 攒眉苦脸
* 攻苦
* 攻苦食淡
* 救苦救難 / 救苦救难
* 春宵苦短
* 有苦難言 / 有苦难言
* 毒藥苦口 / 毒药苦口
* 氣苦 / 气苦
* 清苦 (qīngkǔ)
* 淒風苦雨 / 凄风苦雨
* 濟苦憐貧 / 济苦怜贫
* 濟貧拔苦 / 济贫拔苦
* 無邊苦海 / 无边苦海
* 煞費苦心 / 煞费苦心
* 犯顏苦諫 / 犯颜苦谏
* 甘瓜苦蒂
* 甘盡苦來 / 甘尽苦来
* 甘苦 (gānkǔ)
* 甜酸苦辣 (tiánsuānkǔlà)
* 用心良苦
* 病苦
* 疾苦 (jíkǔ)
* 痛苦 (tòngkǔ)
* 研精苦思
* 萬苦千辛 / 万苦千辛
* 窮苦 / 穷苦 (qióngkǔ)
* 脫離苦海 / 脱离苦海
* 自找苦吃
* 自苦 (zìkǔ)
* 自討苦吃 / 自讨苦吃 (zìtǎokǔchī)
* 艮苦冰涼 / 艮苦冰凉
* 良工心苦
* 良藥苦口 / 良药苦口 (liángyàokǔkǒu)
* 艱苦 / 艰苦 (jiānkǔ)
* 艱苦卓絕 / 艰苦卓绝 (jiānkǔzhuójué)
* 艱苦奮鬥 / 艰苦奋斗 (jiānkǔfèndòu)
* 芒芒苦海
* 苦不堪言 (kǔbùkānyán)
* 苦不聊生
* 苦中作樂 / 苦中作乐 (kǔzhōngzuòlè)
* 苦主 (kǔzhǔ)
* 苦事
* 苦人
* 苦修
* 苦刑 (kǔxíng)
* 苦力 (kǔlì)
* 苦功 (kǔgōng)
* 苦勸 / 苦劝 (kǔquàn)
* 苦參 / 苦参 (kǔshēn)
* 苦口 (kǔkǒu)
* 苦口婆心 (kǔkǒupóxīn)
* 苦命 (kǔmìng)
* 苦哈哈 (kǔhāhā)
* 苦啾啾
* 苦土 (kǔtǔ)
* 苦土肥料
* 苦地
* 苦境 (kǔjìng)
* 苦夏
* 苦多
* 苦子
* 苦孜孜
* 苦寒 (kǔhán)
* 苦寒行
* 苦工 (kǔgōng)
* 苦差事
* 苦幹 / 苦干 (kǔgàn)
* 苦待 (kǔdài)
* 苦心 (kǔxīn)
* 苦心孤詣 / 苦心孤诣
* 苦心焦慮 / 苦心焦虑
* 苦心積慮 / 苦心积虑
* 苦心竭力
* 苦心經營 / 苦心经营 (kǔxīnjīngyíng)
* 苦思 (kǔsī)
* 苦思惡想 / 苦思恶想
* 苦悶 / 苦闷 (kǔmèn)
* 苦惱 / 苦恼 (kǔnǎo)
* 苦憶 / 苦忆
* 苦戰 / 苦战 (kǔzhàn)
* 苦手
* 苦撐 / 苦撑
* 苦日子 (kǔrìzi)
* 苦旱 (kǔhàn)
* 苦李
* 苦果 (kǔguǒ)
* 苦楚 (kǔchǔ)
* 苦業 / 苦业
* 苦楝子 (kǔliànzǐ)
* 苦樂 / 苦乐
* 苦死 (kǔsǐ)
* 苦殺 / 苦杀
* 苦水 (kǔshuǐ)
* 苦求
* 苦河
* 苦活兒 / 苦活儿
* 苦海 (kǔhǎi)
* 苦海無涯 / 苦海无涯
* 苦海無邊 / 苦海无边
* 苦澀 / 苦涩 (kǔsè)
* 苦熬
* 苦瓜 (kǔguā)
* 苦瓜臉 / 苦瓜脸 (kǔguāliǎn)
* 苦瓠子
* 苦留
* 苦痛 (kǔtòng)
* 苦盡甘來 / 苦尽甘来 (kǔjìngānlái)
* 苦相
* 苦空
* 苦窳
* 苦竹 (kǔzhú)
* 苦笑 (kǔxiào)
* 苦等
* 苦節 / 苦节 (kǔjiè)
* 苦累
* 苦練 / 苦练 (kǔliàn)
* 苦繃苦拽 / 苦绷苦拽
* 苦肉計 / 苦肉计 (kǔròujì)
* 苦腦子 / 苦脑子
* 苦船
* 苦艾 (kǔ'ài)
* 苦苣
* 苦苦 (kǔkǔ)
* 苦苦哀求
* 苦苦相逼
* 苦苣苔
* 苦茶
* 苦茶油
* 苦荼 (kǔtú)
* 苦菜 (kǔcài)
* 苦著臉 / 苦著脸
* 苦薏 (kǔyì)
* 苦處 / 苦处 (kǔchù)
* 苦行 (kǔxíng)
* 苦衷 (kǔzhōng)
* 苦言
* 苦諫 / 苦谏
* 苦買賣 / 苦买卖
* 苦車 / 苦车
* 苦辛 (kǔxīn)
* 苦難 / 苦难 (kǔnàn)
* 苦雨
* 苦雨淒風 / 苦雨凄风
* 苦頭 / 苦头 (kǔtóu)
* 茹苦含辛
* 茫茫苦海
* 訴苦 / 诉苦 (sùkǔ)
* 貧苦 / 贫苦 (pínkǔ)
* 辛苦 (xīnkǔ)
* 辛辛苦苦 (xīnxīnkǔkǔ)
* 道傍苦李
* 酸甜苦辣 (suāntiánkǔlà)
* 零丁孤苦
* 顏苦孔卓 / 颜苦孔卓
* 顛連困苦 / 颠连困苦

#### See also

Basic tastes in Chinese · 味道 (layout · text) :
| 甜 (tián) | 酸 (suān) | 鹹 / 咸 (xián) | 苦 | 辣 (là) | 鮮味 / 鲜味 (xiānwèi) |

### Etymology 2
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): gǔ (gu$^3$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄍㄨˇ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: gǔ
*** Zhuyin: ㄍㄨˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: gǔ
*** Wade–Giles: ku$^3$
*** Yale: gǔ
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: guu
*** Palladius: гу (gu)
*** Sinological IPA : /ku²¹⁴/

#### Definitions

苦
* Alternative form of 盬 (gǔ)

### Further reading

* “苦”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.
* “苦”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.
* “苦”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Third grade kyōiku kanji)
* bitter taste
* pain, anguish, suffering, discomfort, hardship, worry
* (Buddhism) dukkha, suffering

#### Readings

* Go-on: く (ku, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: こ (ko)
* Kun: くるしい (kurushii, 苦しい, Jōyō)、くるしむ (kurushimu, 苦しむ, Jōyō)、くるしめる (kurushimeru, 苦しめる, Jōyō)、くるしみ (kurushimi, 苦しみ)、くるしむめる (kurushimumeru, 苦しむめる)、にがい (nigai, 苦い, Jōyō)、にがむ (nigamu, 苦む)、にがみ (nigami, 苦み)、にがめる (nigameru, 苦める)、にがる (nigaru, 苦る, Jōyō)、はなはだ (hanahada, 苦だ)

#### Compounds

* 苦土(くど) (kudo): magnesia, magnesium oxide
* 苦(く)無(ない) (kunai): a kunai
* 苦(く)茗(めい) (kumei): bitter tea
* 苦参(クララ) (kurara)

### Etymology

* Kanji in this term
* 苦
* く Grade: 3
* on'yomi
From Middle Chinese 苦 (khu$^X$, “suffering”).

### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) く [kúꜜ] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [kɯ̟]

### Noun

苦(く) • (ku)
* suffering
* (Buddhism) dukkha

### References

* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* ↑ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

## Korean
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [ko̞]
* Phonetic hangul: [고]

### Hanja

Wikisource 苦 (eumhun 괴로울 고 (goeroul go))
* hanja form of 고 (“suffering, pain”)

#### Compounds

* 고민 (苦悶, gomin, “worry”)
* 고통 (苦痛, gotong, “pain”)

## Vietnamese
### Alternative forms

* 𦹵
* 𦹯

### Han character

苦: Hán Việt readings: khổ
苦: Nôm readings: cỏ, khó, khủ, khổ, cô

### References

* Lê Sơn Thanh, "Nom-Viet.dat", WinVNKey (details)