How to Write 苦 (suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Practice writing the Japanese Kanji 苦 (suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter) stroke-by-stroke with real-time trajectory feedback, or print an A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF practice worksheet.
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (苦)
Primary Radical (部首): 艸 — くさかんむり (grass)
Radical Position: Top (Kanmuri / 冠) (冠 (Kanmuri))
Semantic Theme: Herbs, grass, flowers, vegetation, and botanical life
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
艸 (meaning) + 古 (sound コ)
Derived from the meaning radical 艸 (くさかんむり (grass)) and the phonetic component 古, giving the on-reading コ.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 苦
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 苦 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 苦?
The Japanese character 苦 (suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter) has 8 strokes (8画). In Kanji Scribe, you can practice writing all 8 strokes of 苦 interactively with real-time stroke direction and order grading.
What is the Onyomi and Kunyomi of 苦?
For the Kanji 苦 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi (Chinese-derived reading) is ク and the Kunyomi (native Japanese reading) is くる.しい, -ぐる.しい, くる.しむ, くる.しめる, にが.い, にが.る. Its primary English meaning is "suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter".
What is the stroke order rule for writing 苦?
The Kanji 苦 (suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter) is written with 8 strokes (JLPT N3). Follow standard Japanese stroke order principles: write from top to bottom (上から下) and from left to right (左から右). You can practice writing 苦 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N3 Characters to Practice Next
View Full JLPT N3 Kanji List →Unlock All 2,000+ JLPT N5–N1 Kanji, AI Sensei & Unlimited Genkō Yōshi PDF Books
Get lifetime access to all 2,136 Jōyō Kanji (JLPT N5–N1), AI Kanji Sensei mnemonics, and unlimited Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheets for a one-time payment of $4.49 USD (10% OFF the $4.99 Lifetime Pro Pass with promo code KANJI10). Zero monthly subscriptions!