COMPONENTS & ETYMOLOGY
How 苦 is built
Traditional etymology note: 艹 (grass) suggests the meaning, while 古 suggests the pronunciation.
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How to Write 苦 (kǔ) — Chinese Character Stroke Order, Meaning & Practice Sheet
bitter
kǔTone 3 (Dipping)Let your pitch fall, then rise.
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STROKE BY STROKE
Static stroke diagrams
Follow all 8 strokes in the correct order.
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StrokeSheetCharacter Writing Worksheet
kǔ
苦
bitter
Common words
xīn kǔ
辛苦
exhausting; hard; tough; arduous
jiān kǔ
艰苦
difficult; hard; arduous
tòng kǔ
痛苦
pain; suffering; painful
chī kǔ
吃苦
to bear hardships
hé kǔ
何苦
why bother?; is it worth the trouble?
kè kǔ
刻苦
hardworking; assiduous
Follow the stroke order, then write it on your own.
苦
苦
苦
苦
苦
苦
苦
苦
LEARNING TIP
Remember 苦
Say “kǔ” aloud as you replay the animation. Then hide the model and write the 8 strokes from memory. Short, repeated practice builds a stronger visual and motor connection.
Practice on CanvasWORDS WITH 苦
Common words and phrases
xīn kǔ
exhausting; hard; tough; arduous
jiān kǔ
difficult; hard; arduous
tòng kǔ
pain; suffering; painful
chī kǔ
to bear hardships
hé kǔ
why bother?; is it worth the trouble?
kè kǔ
hardworking; assiduous
IN CONTEXT
Example sentences
这个字是“苦”。
Zhège zì shì “kǔ”.
This character is “苦”.
我正在学习“苦”字。
Wǒ zhèngzài xuéxí “kǔ” zì.
I am learning the character “苦”.
请写一遍“苦”。
Qǐng xiě yí biàn “kǔ”.
Please write “苦” once.
Frequently asked questions
How many strokes are in 苦?
苦 is written with 8 strokes.
What does 苦 (kǔ) mean?
苦 (kǔ) means bitter.
What is the radical of 苦?
The radical of 苦 is 艹, associated with Not yet classified.