苦くるしい

i-adjective

painful; physically hard; tough

Describes physical pain, discomfort, difficulty breathing, or a hard situation that is physically or practically tough to endure.

• 走はしったあと、息いきが苦くるしい。

  After running, it is hard to breathe.

• 最さい後ごの坂さか道みちは本ほん当とうに苦くるしかった。

  The final uphill stretch was really tough.

i-adjective

distressing; emotionally painful; awkward

Used for mental or emotional strain, including a painful feeling, a stressful situation, or an awkward position one is put in.

• 友とも達だちにうそをついているのが苦くるしい。

  It is painful to keep lying to my friend.

• 彼かれは苦くるしい立たち場ばに立たたされた。

  He was put in an awkward position.

i-adjective

financially tight; needy; struggling

Common with words such as 生活, 家計, 経営, and 財政 to describe tight or strained circumstances, especially financial ones.

• 今こん月げつは家か計けいが苦くるしい。

  Money is tight for the household this month.

• 店みせの経けい営えいはかなり苦くるしいらしい。

  It seems the shop's business situation is quite strained.

i-adjective

strained; forced; far-fetched

Used when an explanation, excuse, interpretation, smile, or performance feels forced, unconvincing, or not quite natural.

• その説せつ明めいは少すこし苦くるしい。

  That explanation is a little strained.

• 彼かれの言いい訳わけはかなり苦くるしかった。

  His excuse was pretty lame.

suffix, i-adjective

hard to do; unpleasant to do

Only with reading ぐるしい

Suffix after the masu-stem of a verb, often pronounced ぐるしい in compounds. It forms adjectives meaning that the action or state is difficult, uncomfortable, or unpleasant, as in 寝苦しい and 見苦しい.

See also: 寝苦しい (ねぐるしい) · 見苦しい (みぐるしい)

• 蒸むし暑あつくて寝ね苦ぐるしい夜よるだった。

  It was a hot, humid night that made it hard to sleep.

• 人ひと前まえで見み苦ぐるしい態たい度どを取とらないでください。

  Please do not behave in an unpleasant or embarrassing way in front of others.