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苦

苦 — suffering, trial, worry

Learn the correct stroke order for 苦 (suffering), a 8-stroke kanji.

JLPT N3Grade 38 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 8
On'yomi (音読み)クku
Kun'yomi (訓読み)くる.しいkurushii、-ぐる.しいgurushii、くる.しむkurushimu、くる.しめるkurushimeru、にが.いnigai、にが.るnigaru
Strokes8
Radical艸
Frequency#623
Meaningssuffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl

Step-by-Step Diagram

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Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 8 — start from the green dot

Common Words

苦いにがいbitter (taste)i-adjective
苦境くきょうdifficult situation; adverse circumstances; predicamentnoun
苦言くげんcandid advice; frank advice; honest opinionnoun
苦手にがてpoor (at); weak (in); not very good (at)na-adjective
苦渋くじゅうbitterness; distress; painnoun
苦笑くしょうbitter smile; wry smile; strained laughnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 苦 (suffering) is taught in grade 3 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N3 level. It has 8 strokes with radical 艸.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 苦 is #623, making it a frequently used kanji.

Example Words in Context

苦いにがい — bitter (taste)
苦境くきょう — difficult situation; adverse circumstances; predicament
苦言くげん — candid advice; frank advice; honest opinion

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (艸)

芝turf芋taro花flower芸technique芳perfume芯wick英England若young

Same reading

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 苦 have?

The kanji 苦 (suffering) has 8 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 苦?

苦 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 苦 mean?

苦 means: suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl. On'yomi readings: ク. Kun'yomi readings: くる.しい, -ぐる.しい, くる.しむ, くる.しめる, にが.い, にが.る.

What JLPT level is 苦?

苦 is a JLPT N3 kanji. This is an intermediate kanji.