What does 苦 mean in Chinese?

苦 (kǔ) means "bitter; hardship; pain; to suffer; to bring suffering to; painstakingly" in Chinese. The new HSK exam tests it at HSK 4.

How do you pronounce 苦?

苦 is pronounced "kǔ" in Mandarin Chinese. The tone number is 3.

What HSK level is 苦?

苦 is an HSK 4 word on the new HSK exam syllabus. It is HSK 4 on both the old and the new exam.

What words contain the character 苦?

Common words with 苦 include 刻苦 (hardworking), 何苦 (why bother?), 八苦 (the eight distresses - birth, age, sickness, death, parting with what we love, meeting with what we hate, unattained aims, and all the ills of the five skandhas (Buddhism)), 冤苦 (suffering from injustice), 劳苦 (labor).

How do you write 苦?

You can practice writing 苦 using our stroke order tool.

苦 (kǔ), bitter

苦

kǔ

bitter; hardship; pain; to suffer

HSK 4verb

Character Breakdown

Radical: 艸 (no. 140)

View stroke order →

Definitions

(verb) bitter
hardship
pain
to suffer
to bring suffering to
painstakingly

Example Sentences

这个药很苦。

Zhège yào hěn kǔ

This medicine is bitter

Words Containing 苦

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	HSK
刻苦	kè kǔ	hardworking	HSK 7-9
何苦	hé kǔ	why bother?	HSK 7-9
八苦	bā kǔ	the eight distresses - birth, age, sickness, death, parting with what we love, meeting with what we hate, unattained aims, and all the ills of the five skandhas (Buddhism)
冤苦	yuān kǔ	suffering from injustice

→

含辛茹苦(hán xīn rú kǔ)· to suffer every possible torment (idiom); bitter hardship

→

哑巴吃黄连，有苦说不出(yǎ ba chī huáng lián , yǒu kǔ shuō bu chū)· to be forced to suffer in silence (idiom)

→

切肤之痛(qiè fū zhī tòng)· keenly felt pain

→

HSK levels

New HSK exam: HSK 4
HSK 2.0: HSK 4
HSK Lord study list: HSK 4 list

苦: HSK 4 on both the old and the new exam. See where your old level lands

New exam levels follow the CLEC syllabus released 15 November 2025. The first official sitting is announced for 13 December 2026. HSK 7-9 is one advanced band.

On the new HSK 4 exam

Studying for HSK 4? Keep 苦 with the rest of your level.

HSK Lord schedules your reviews so each character comes back right before you would forget it. Free to start, and it picks up where you are.

Start studying free The words new HSK 4 adds

Frequently Asked Questions

Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.

苦