p8nda
p8nda BETA
Home Dictionary Translate Flashcards Sign in

吃苦

chīkǔ
verb HSK 7-9 #31,509

Meanings

  1. 1 to endure hardship; to bear suffering

Characters

吃
chī
to eat; to endure
苦
kǔ
bitter; hardship
Literally 'to eat bitterness' - hardship as something you physically consume and digest.

Examples

HSK 2
他从小就能吃苦。
Tā cóngxiǎo jiù néng chīkǔ.
He's been able to endure hardship since childhood.
HSK 4
吃得苦中苦，方为人上人。
Chī de kǔ zhōng kǔ, fāng wéi rén shàng rén.
Only by enduring the bitterest hardship can you rise above others.
HSK 7-9
年轻人要吃苦耐劳。
Niánqīngrén yào chīkǔ-nàiláo.
Young people should be hardworking and enduring.

Tips

culture
能吃苦 ('able to eat bitterness') is one of the highest compliments in Chinese work culture. The concept is deeply Confucian - suffering builds character. 吃苦耐劳 is practically a required phrase on Chinese resumes.

Stroke Order

吃 chī
苦 kǔ