苦く渋じゅう

く

じゅ

う

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

苦渋する · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	苦く渋じゅうする	苦く渋じゅうしない
Polite	苦く渋じゅうします	苦く渋じゅうしません
Past polite	苦く渋じゅうしました	苦く渋じゅうしませんでした
Past	苦く渋じゅうした	苦く渋じゅうしなかった
Te-form	苦く渋じゅうして	苦く渋じゅうしないで
Desire	苦く渋じゅうしたい	苦く渋じゅうしたくない
Potential	苦く渋じゅうできる	苦く渋じゅうできない
Passive	苦く渋じゅうされる	苦く渋じゅうされない
Causative	苦く渋じゅうさせる	苦く渋じゅうさせない
Causative passive	苦く渋じゅうさせられる	苦く渋じゅうさせられない
Volitional	苦く渋じゅうしよう
Polite volitional	苦く渋じゅうしましょう
Imperative	苦く渋じゅうしろ	苦く渋じゅうするな
Conditional	苦く渋じゅうすれば	苦く渋じゅうしなければ
Tara conditional	苦く渋じゅうしたら	苦く渋じゅうしなかったら

Meanings

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

bitterness; distress; anguish

Refers to deep mental or emotional suffering, often used in formal or literary contexts. Can be used as a noun, with する to mean 'to suffer anguish', or as a no-adjective.

彼かれは苦く渋じゅうの表ひょう情じょうを浮うかべた。
He wore a look of anguish.
その決けつ断だんは苦く渋じゅうの末すえに下くだされた。
The decision was made after much anguish.

noun

bitterness and astringency

Rare, literal use referring to a bitter and astringent taste, as in certain teas or foods. Not commonly used in everyday conversation; the metaphorical sense is far more frequent.

このお茶ちゃは苦く渋じゅうが強つよく、後あと味あじに渋しぶみが残のこる。
This tea has a strong bitterness and astringency, leaving a puckery aftertaste.

See all 11 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が苦く渋じゅうを味あじわうfor someone to taste/experience bitterness or anguish
彼かれは敗はい戦せんの苦く渋じゅうを味あじわった。
He tasted the bitterness of defeat.
苦く渋じゅうに満みちた〈事こと〉filled with anguish/bitterness
苦く渋じゅうに満みちた表ひょう情じょうでうなずいた。
He nodded with an anguished expression.
苦く渋じゅうの〈事こと〉a bitter, painful (choice/experience, etc.)
苦く渋じゅうの選せん択たくを迫せまられた。
I was forced into a painful choice.

Expressions

苦く渋じゅうの決けつ断だんagonizing decision; painful choice

Kanji

苦suffering, trial, worry
渋astringent, hesitate, reluctant

Related words

苦く悩のうN1sense 1
苦悩 emphasizes prolonged mental torment or worry, while 苦渋 often points to the bitterness felt over one painful, hard-to-make decision.
苦く痛つうN3sense 1
苦痛 is the broad word for pain or suffering (physical or mental), whereas 苦渋 specifically evokes a bitter, agonizing inner struggle, often literary.
苦く難なん sense 1
苦難 refers to hardship or trials one goes through, while 苦渋 focuses on the bitter emotional taste of anguish itself rather than the hardship's events.

Don't confuse with

苦く汁じゅう sense 1
苦汁 (same reading くじゅう) means a bitter experience one has 'drunk', while 苦渋 refers to the state or feeling of anguish itself; they are easily confused because they sound identical.
苦にが味みN2sense 2
苦味 is the everyday word for a bitter taste in food or drink, while 苦渋's literal sense (bitterness and astringency) is rare and mostly used metaphorically for emotional distress.
苦く痛つうN3
苦渋 describes a bitter, conflicted feeling often tied to a difficult decision, while 苦痛 refers directly to pain or suffering itself.

Etymology

Compound of 苦 (ku, 'bitter, painful') and 渋 (jū, 'astringent, harsh'). The combination originally described a bitter and astringent taste, later extended metaphorically to emotional distress.