duhkha (Buddhist suffering)
Buddhist term for the fundamental suffering inherent in existence. Often appears in compounds like 八苦 (the eight sufferings).
See also: 八苦
I experienced the hardship of taking entrance exams.
Overcome the hardships of life.
In Buddhism, birth, aging, sickness, and death are considered the four sufferings.
He solved the problem without any difficulty.
The couple shared the hardships of daily life together.
苦痛 refers specifically to physical or mental pain and sounds more clinical, whereas 苦 is a broader, more literary term for suffering or hardship.
trouble; hardship; difficulty; labor; toil; pains · anxiety; worry; concern; cares
painful; physically hard; tough · distressing; emotionally painful; awkward · financially tight; needy; struggling · strained; forced; far-fetched · hard to do; unpleasant to do
suffer; be in pain; struggle; be troubled
pain; agony; suffering; distress
pain; suffering; anguish; hardship
The kanji 苦 is a phono-semantic compound: 艹 (plant) + 古 (old) suggesting bitterness or hardship. The reading く is the on'yomi, used in many Sino-Japanese compounds.
bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh
trouble; hard work · thank you for your hard work; I appreciate your efforts
candid advice; frank advice; honest opinion
hardship; suffering; trial
Sophora flavescens; shrubby sophora
difficult situation; predicament; dilemma
stiff; formal; ceremonious; strict
ascetic practice; penance; mortification · hardship; ordeal; strenuous task
bitterness; distress; anguish · bitterness and astringency
pains; hard work; effort; trouble
hard fight; difficult struggle
worry; be anxious; rack one's brains
anguish; agony; torment
worldly-wise person; person who has seen much of life
kousso; African redwood
working one's way through school; self-supporting study · studying under adversity; studying in harsh economic circumstances
hardships of life; financial struggles
pleasure and pain; joys and sorrows
labor; toil; hardship
hardship; toil; trouble
triple handicap; triple affliction