刻こっ苦く

こ

っ

く

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

hard work; assiduous effort

Connotes strenuous, persevering effort, often in study or training. Commonly used in the phrase 刻苦勉励 (こっくべんれい).

彼かれは刻こっ苦く勉べん励れいして難なん関かん大だい学がくに合ごう格かくした。
He passed the difficult university entrance exam through assiduous effort.
刻

こっ

苦く

の

末すえ

に

、

ついに

新しん

技ぎ

術じゅつ

を

開かい

発はつ

し

た

。

After strenuous effort, they finally developed the new technology.

Kanji

刻engrave, cut fine, chop
苦suffering, trial, worry

Similar words

努ど力りょく
努力 is the common word for effort or endeavor, while 刻苦 emphasizes grueling, persistent hard work and is more literary.
精せい励れい
精励 also means diligence, but 刻苦 adds a nuance of enduring hardship.

Etymology

Compound of 刻 (こく, 'carve, cut') and 苦 (く, 'suffering, hardship'), suggesting effort that carves through hardship. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.