苦 from HSK Level 4 Vocabulary List

The Chinese character 苦 (kǔ) for "bitter" is composed of two parts: the radical 艹 (cǎo), which represents plants or herbs, and the phonetic component 苦 (kǔ), which represents the sound. The original form of 苦 was a pictograph of a plant with a bitter taste. Over time, the character evolved into its current form.The character 苦 has a rich history and has been used in Chinese literature and poetry for centuries. It is often used to describe the taste of food, but can also be used to describe emotional pain or suffering. For example, the phrase "吃苦耐劳" (chī kǔ nài láo) means "to endure hardship and work hard."The character 苦 is also used in Chinese medicine to describe the taste of certain herbs or plants. For example, the herb 黄连 (huánglián) is known for its bitter taste and is used to treat a variety of illnesses.In addition to its literal meaning, the character 苦 can also be used figuratively to describe difficult or challenging situations. For example, the phrase "人生不如意事十之八九" (rénshēng bù rú yì shì shí zhī bā jiǔ) means "in life, nine out of ten things don't go as planned."The character 苦 is a complex and multifaceted character with a rich history and a variety of meanings. It is an important character for HSK learners to know, as it is used in a wide variety of contexts.