Meaning and Usage
The verb 受苦 (shòukǔ) means "to suffer" or "to endure hardship." It often refers to experiencing physical or emotional pain, difficulties, or adversity. It is commonly used to describe situations where someone undergoes suffering due to external circumstances such as poverty, illness, or conflict.
Common Contexts
受苦 is frequently used in narratives about life challenges, historical events, or personal struggles. It can describe both temporary and prolonged suffering.
Collocations and Patterns
- 受苦受难: to suffer hardships and calamities, often used in historical or serious contexts.
- 受苦耐劳: to endure hardship and work hard, describing a person's resilience.
- 受苦经历: experience of suffering, often used when recounting past difficulties.
Nuances
Using 受苦 emphasizes the experience of hardship rather than just the fact of being in a difficult situation. It often implies a degree of endurance or resilience. It is more formal and literary than some colloquial expressions for suffering.
Common Confusion
Do not confuse 受苦 with 吃苦 (chīkǔ), which also means "to endure hardship" but is more colloquial and often used to describe a willingness to work hard or endure difficulties proactively. 受苦 tends to focus more on the passive experience of suffering.