艱[艰] jiān
: difficult; hard; hardship
Kun Reading
On Reading
かん kan
Usage:
艱苦 jian1ku3: difficult; arduous [かんく kanku: privation suffering]
艱難 jian1nan2: difficult; challenging
[かんなん kannan: austerity/privations – essential for human well-being such as food and warmth are scarce]艱巨 jian1ju4: arduous; formidable
艱辛 jian1xin1: hardship; difficult
步履維艱[步履维艰] bu4lü3wei2jian1: have difficulty walking
舉步維艱[举步维艰] ju3bu4wei2jian1: have difficulty progressing
Japanese expression
艱難汝を玉にす | かんなんなんじをたまにす kannan nanji o tamanisu
: hardship makes the man
Chinese idiom
艱深晦澀 [艰深晦涩] jian1 shen1 hui4 se4: abstruse and unfathomable
艱苦樸素 [艰苦朴素] jian1 ku3 pu3 su4: leading a plain, hardworking life
艱難險阻 [艰难险阻] jian1 nan2 xian3 zu3: untold dangers and difficulties
Etymology:
形声 Pictophonetic:
堇 (jin1: yellow loam) suggest the meaning,
艮 (gen3: tough; blunt; stopping) while provides the sound.
形声 Pictophonetic:
堇 (jin1: yellow loam) suggest the meaning,
艮 (gen3: tough; blunt; stopping) while provides the sound.
The character is reclassified with the 艮 (gen3: “stubborn”) radical
簡體 Simplified form is:
艰. Created as unique simplification #111 (艱 » 艰).
Examples:
n/a
Resources: Chinese Dictionary | Japanese Dictionary