# 苦 suffer

(flowertop) + 古 (old)
★★★☆☆
8 strokes

## Onyomi

KU | as in, 'My KUCHI ( 口 ) was suffering from too much candy. '

## Mnemonic

| The old flower was suffering : wilting, turning brown, being eaten by aphids.

## Kunyomi

にが*い | bitter taste ー medicine, okra. Can also be used figuratively - the bitter taste of defeat. ★★★☆☆
( が ) くる＊しい | adjective describing mental suffering - which is caused BY 痛み　(physical pain). i.e. 'My throat is 痛い、 so talking or swallowing is 苦しい’ ★★★☆☆
( ｘｘｘに ) くる＊しむ | to hurt or suffer　from XXX ★★★☆☆

## Jukugo

苦労(くろう) | hardships ★★★☆☆ 苦 (suffer) + 労 (labor) = 苦労 (hardships)
xxxは 苦手(にがて) | this is not my thing! ★★★☆☆ KUNKUN 苦 (suffer) + 手 (hand) = 苦手 (this is not my thing!) this has 2 meanings. One is "I'm not good at this" and the second is "I don't like this" Clever Japanese!
苦情(くじょう) | a grievance or complaint ☆☆☆☆☆ 苦 (suffer) + 情 (emotion) = 苦情 (a grievance or complaint )

## Synonyms

bad point 苦手 欠点 弱点 欠陥
bad-tasting まずい 酸っぱい 苦い 渋い
complaint 愚痴 文句 クレイム 苦情
pain or suffering 痛い 苦しい 悲しむ 苦しむ