苦しい

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 走った後、息が苦しくなりました。▶ —
   After running, my breathing became labored.
2. 生活が苦しくて、毎日大変です。▶ —
   Life is hard, and every day is tough.

Collocations

Mnemonic

苦しい kurushii — from 苦 (bitter, suffering), the same kanji as 苦い (bitter, partial-5), but 苦しい means "painful, hard." It covers physical distress (息が苦しい, hard to breathe) and hardship of life or heart (生活が苦しい). 苦い is taste; 苦しい is suffering — two i-adjectives from one kanji. The verb 苦しむ (to suffer) also exists.

Quick check

1. Which partial-5 word uses 苦 but means "bitter (in taste)"?

   • 苦い (nigai, bitter)
   • 苦しむ (kurushimu, to suffer)
   • 辛い (tsurai, hard)
   • 痛い (itai, painful)