Mnemonic
An old man chews bitter grass just to survive the famine. Each mouthful is pure suffering—the taste of old misery, green and sharp on his tongue. He keeps chewing because even suffering is better than starving to death alone in this field.
Additional thoughts
Picture the bitter taste of raw grass in your mouth—fibrous, ancient, awful. The kanji stacks grass on top of old, just like layers of bitterness piling up over a lifetime of hardship.Quick recall
An old man chews bitter grass—pure suffering.Details
The keyword for 苦 is suffering. This kanji conveys the experience of pain, bitterness, and hardship, encompassing both physical and emotional distress. It can refer to anguish, torment, or difficulty endured over time, as well as the sensation of bitterness in taste. The concept extends to struggles and troubles one faces in life, reflecting a deep and pervasive sense of affliction.
- On'yomi
- く
- Kun'yomi
- くる.しい、-ぐる.しい、くる.しむ、くる.しめる、にが.い、にが.る