苦行僧

kǔxíngsēng

noun #43,234

Measure Word

一位苦行僧 wèi

Meanings

1 ascetic monk
2 religious ascetic
3 (figurative) someone who lives an extremely austere life

Characters

bitter; hardship

to practice; conduct

Examples

他过着苦行僧一般的生活。

Tā guòzhe kǔxíngsēng yībān de shēnghuó.

He lives a life like an ascetic monk.

这位苦行僧在山中修行了二十年。

Zhè wèi kǔxíngsēng zài shān zhōng xiūxíngle èrshí nián.

This ascetic monk has practiced in the mountains for twenty years.

Tips

culture

苦行 (ascetic practice) entered Chinese via Buddhist translation, originally rendering Sanskrit tapas. Used today for Buddhist monks, Hindu sadhus, or anyone living spartanly — entrepreneurs and athletes are often described as living 苦行僧式 (ascetic-monk-style) lives.

Stroke Order

苦 kǔ

行 xíng

僧 sēng