苦海

kǔhǎi

noun #23,707

Meanings

1 sea of bitterness
2 abyss of suffering
3 depths of misery (Buddhist concept)

Characters

bitter / suffering / hardship

Examples

苦海无边，回头是岸。

Kǔhǎi wúbiān, huítóu shì àn.

The sea of bitterness is boundless — turn back and you will reach the shore. (A call to repent and seek salvation.)

她终于从那段苦难的婚姻中走出了苦海。

Tā zhōngyú cóng nà duàn kǔnàn de hūnyīn zhōng zǒuchū le kǔhǎi.

She finally escaped the sea of misery of that painful marriage.

Tips

culture

苦海 is a Buddhist concept (Sanskrit: duḥkha-sāgara) representing the ocean of worldly suffering that sentient beings must cross to reach enlightenment. The proverb 苦海无边，回头是岸 (the sea of bitterness is boundless — turn back to find the shore) calls for repentance and spiritual awakening.

Stroke Order

苦 kǔ

海 hǎi