艰苦
jiānkǔ · HSK 5
arduous
⛰️ 艰 = difficult + 苦 = bitter; arduous = bitter difficulty
艰 means difficult/hard, and 苦 means bitter or suffering. Together they describe something arduous — work or conditions so hard they leave a bitter taste. Common in phrases about hardship, struggle, or grueling effort.
苦 — grass radical 艹 + 古 (old)
Originally referred to a bitter-tasting plant, with the grass radical 艹 indicating its botanical nature and 古 providing the phonetic element. The meaning extended from the literal bitter taste to figurative senses of hardship, suffering, and painful effort.