困難

See also: 困难

Chinese

		distress; sleepy; doze off	disaster; distress; to scold disaster; distress; to scold; difficult (to...); problem; difficulty; difficult; not good
trad. (困難)		困	難
simp. (困难)		困	难

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): kùnnan, kùnnán

  (Zhuyin): ㄎㄨㄣˋ ˙ㄋㄢ, ㄎㄨㄣˋ ㄋㄢˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): kwan³ naan⁴
• Gan (Wiktionary): kun³ lan
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): khun-nàn

  (Hailu, HRS): kun^ˇ nan

• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): kong⁴ nang² / kuong⁴ nang²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): khùn-lân

  (Teochew, Peng'im): kung³ lang⁵ / kung³ nang⁵

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland, variant in Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kùnnan
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄨㄣˋ ˙ㄋㄢ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: kùnnån
    • Wade–Giles: kʻun⁴-nan⁵
    • Yale: kwùn-nan
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: kuenn.nan
    • Palladius: куньнань (kunʹnanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰu̯ən⁵¹ nän¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kùnnán
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄨㄣˋ ㄋㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: kùnnán
    • Wade–Giles: kʻun⁴-nan²
    • Yale: kwùn-nán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: kuennnan
    • Palladius: куньнань (kunʹnanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰu̯ən⁵¹ nän³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong–Macau)⁺
    • Jyutping: kwan³ naan⁴
    • Yale: kwan nàahn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: kwan³ naan⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: kuen³ nan⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʷʰɐn³³ naːn²¹/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: kun³ lan
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰun²¹³⁻²¹ lan¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: khun-nàn
    • Hakka Romanization System: kun nan^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: kun⁴ nan²
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰun⁵⁵ nan¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: kun^ˇ nan
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰun¹¹ nan⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: kong⁴ nang²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: keo̍ng-náng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɔŋ⁴² naŋ¹³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: kuong⁴ nang² [Phonetic: kuong¹ nang²]
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰuoŋ⁴²⁻⁵⁵ naŋ²⁴/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khùn-lân
    • Tâi-lô: khùn-lân
    • Phofsit Daibuun: quonlaan
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kʰun²¹⁻⁵³ lan²⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰun⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ lan²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kʰun²¹⁻⁵³ lan¹³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kʰun¹¹⁻⁵³ lan²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kʰun²¹⁻⁴¹ lan²³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: kung³ lang⁵ / kung³ nang⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khùng lâng / khùng nâng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰuŋ²¹³⁻⁵⁵ laŋ⁵⁵/, /kʰuŋ²¹³⁻⁵⁵ naŋ⁵⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: khwonH nan

Rime
Character	困	難
Reading #	1/1	1/2
Initial (聲)	溪 (29)	泥 (8)
Final (韻)	魂 (55)	寒 (61)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed	Open
Division (等)	I	I
Fanqie	苦悶切	那干切
Baxter	khwonH	nan
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kʰuənH/	/nɑn/
Pan Wuyun	/kʰuonH/	/nɑn/
Shao Rongfen	/kʰuənH/	/nɑn/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kʰwənH/	/nan/
Li Rong	/kʰuənH/	/nɑn/
Wang Li	/kʰuənH/	/nɑn/
Bernhard Karlgren	/kʰuənH/	/nɑn/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	kùn	nán
Expected Cantonese Reflex	fan3	naan4

Adjective

困難

1. hard; difficult; challenging

   你們選擇了一條困難之路。 [MSC, trad.]
   你们选择了一条困难之路。 [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐmen xuǎnzé le yī tiáo kùnnan zhī lù. [Pinyin]

   You have all chosen a difficult path.

2. poor; impoverished; disadvantaged

   困難兒童／困难儿童  ―  kùnnan értóng  ―  disadvantaged children

Synonyms

• (hard):

edit

• 不容易 (bùróngyì)
• 勤 (qín) (literary, or in compounds)
• 疑難 / 疑难 (yínán)
• 硬斗 (Hokkien)
• 硬氣 / 硬气 (Quanzhou Hokkien, Xiamen Hokkien)
• 硬水 (Hokkien)
• 硬繚 / 硬缭 (Hokkien)
• 硬頭 / 硬头 (Xiamen Hokkien, Zhangzhou Hokkien)
• 良苦 (liángkǔ) (literary)
• 艱巨 / 艰巨 (jiānjù)
• 艱苦 / 艰苦 (jiānkǔ)
• 艱辛 / 艰辛 (jiānxīn)
• 艱難 / 艰难 (jiānnán)
• 苦難 / 苦难 (kǔnàn)
• 辛勞 / 辛劳 (xīnláo)
• 辛苦 (xīnkǔ)
• 難 / 难

Dialectal synonyms of 難 (“difficult”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		難, 困難, 艱難
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		難, 困難, 艱難
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	難
	Taiwan	難
	Singapore	難
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	難
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	難
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	難
	Wuhan	難
	Guilin	難
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	難
	Hefei	難
Cantonese	Guangzhou	難, 惡 †
	Hong Kong	難, 惡 †
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	難
	Taishan	難, 惡 †
	Yangjiang	難, 惡 †
	Singapore (Guangfu)	難
Gan	Nanchang	難
Hakka	Meixian	難
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	難
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	難
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	難
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	難
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	難
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	難
Jin	Taiyuan	難
Northern Min	Jian'ou	難
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	艱難, 難
Southern Min	Xiamen	惡, 艱苦, 歹 †
	Quanzhou	惡
	Jinjiang	難
	Zhangzhou	惡
	Zhao'an	惡, 䆀 †
	Dongshan	惡
	Taipei	惡
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	惡
	Kaohsiung	惡
	Yilan	惡
	Changhua (Lukang)	惡
	Taichung	惡
	Tainan	惡, 歹 †
	Hsinchu	惡
	Kinmen	惡
	Penghu (Magong)	惡
	Penang (Hokkien)	艱苦, 歹 †
	Singapore (Hokkien)	惡, 艱苦, 歹 †
	Manila (Hokkien)	艱苦, 惡, 歹 †
	Chaozhou	惡
	Shantou	難, 惡
	Shantou (Chenghai)	惡
	Jieyang	惡, 艱苦
	Haifeng	惡
	Singapore (Teochew)	惡, 歹 †
	Leizhou	惡
	Wenchang	惡
	Haikou	惡
	Singapore (Hainanese)	惡
Puxian Min	Putian	惡
	Xianyou	惡
Wu	Shanghai	難
	Suzhou	難
	Wenzhou	難
Xiang	Changsha	難
	Shuangfeng	難
Note	† - only used with a verbal complement

• (poor):

edit

• 厄 (literary, or in compounds)
• 困乏 (kùnfá) (formal)
• 困窘 (kùnjiǒng)
• 困窮 / 困穷 (kùnqióng)
• 困苦 (kùnkǔ)
• 困頓 / 困顿 (kùndùn)
• 宋凶 (Hokkien)
• 散 (Hokkien)
• 散凶 (Hokkien)
• 散赤 (Hokkien)
• 清苦 (qīngkǔ) (especially of scholars and intellectuals)
• 淡薄 (dànbó) (literary)
• 清貧 / 清贫 (qīngpín) (especially of scholars and intellectuals)
• 㾪赤 (Hokkien)
• 磽 / 硗 (Teochew)
• 䆀康 (Hokkien)
• 空乏 (kòngfá) (literary)
• 窄
• 窘促 (jiǒngcù) (literary)
• 窘困 (jiǒngkùn)
• 窘迫 (jiǒngpò)
• 窮 / 穷 (qióng)
• 窮乏 / 穷乏 (qióngfá) (literary)
• 窮困 / 穷困 (qióngkùn)
• 窮㾪 / 穷㾪 (Hokkien)
• 窮苦 / 穷苦 (qióngkǔ)
• 窮赤 / 穷赤 (Hokkien)
• 艱苦 / 艰苦 (Hokkien)
• 苦寒 (kǔhán)
• 貧乏 / 贫乏 (pínfá)
• 貧困 / 贫困 (pínkùn)
• 貧寒 / 贫寒 (pínhán)
• 貧瘠 / 贫瘠 (pínjí) (literary)
• 貧窮 / 贫穷 (pínqióng)
• 貧苦 / 贫苦 (pínkǔ)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “difficult”): 容易 (róngyì)

Noun

困難

1. difficulty; challenge; dire straits; hardships

   害怕困難／害怕困难  ―  hàipà kùnnan  ―  to be afraid of difficulties

   克服困難／克服困难  ―  kèfú kùnnan  ―  to overcome difficulties

   呼吸困難／呼吸困难  ―  hūxī kùnnan  ―  (to have) breathing difficulty

   困難重重／困难重重  ―  kùnnan chóngchóng  ―  to have many difficulties

   就業困難／就业困难  ―  jiùyè kùnnan  ―  difficulties finding a job

   有什麼困難可以來找我。 [MSC, trad.]
   有什么困难可以来找我。 [MSC, simp.]

   Yǒu shénme kùnnan kěyǐ lái zhǎo wǒ. [Pinyin]

   You can come find me if you have any difficulties.

   只要有信心，困難必戰勝。 [MSC, trad.]
   只要有信心，困难必战胜。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhǐyào yǒu xìnxīn, kùnnan bì zhànshèng. [Pinyin]

   Difficulties can be overcome so long as you have confidence.

   雖然我的閱讀水平很好，但是跟中國人講話有點困難。 [MSC, trad.]
   虽然我的阅读水平很好，但是跟中国人讲话有点困难。 [MSC, simp.]

   Suīrán wǒ de yuèdú shuǐpíng hěn hǎo, dànshì gēn zhōngguórén jiǎnghuà yǒudiǎn kùnnan. [Pinyin]

   Although my reading skills are very good, I have some difficulty conversing with Chinese people.

Synonyms

edit

• 困急 (kùnjí) (literary)
• 困難的事情 / 困难的事情 (kùnnan de shìqing)
• 挑戰 / 挑战 (tiǎozhàn)

Derived terms

• 吞嚥困難 / 吞咽困难 (tūnyàn kùnnan)
• 呼吸困難 / 呼吸困难 (hūxī kùnnan)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (困難):

• → Japanese: 困難(こんなん) (konnan)
• → Korean: 곤란(困難) (gollan)
• → Vietnamese: khốn nạn (困難)

Japanese

Kanji in this term
困	難
こん Grade: 6	なん Grade: 6
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
困難 (kyūjitai)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) こんなん [kóꜜǹnàǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [kõ̞nːã̠ɴ]

Adjective

困(こん)難(なん) • (konnan) -na (adnominal 困(こん)難(なん)な (konnan na), adverbial 困(こん)難(なん)に (konnan ni))

1. difficult, trying, hard

Inflection

Inflection of 困難

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	困難だろ	こんなんだろ	konnan daro
Continuative (連用形)	困難で	こんなんで	konnan de
Terminal (終止形)	困難だ	こんなんだ	konnan da
Attributive (連体形)	困難な	こんなんな	konnan na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	困難なら	こんなんなら	konnan nara
Imperative (命令形)	困難であれ	こんなんであれ	konnan de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	困難ではない 困難じゃない	こんなんではない こんなんじゃない	konnan de wa nai konnan ja nai
Informal past	困難だった	こんなんだった	konnan datta
Informal negative past	困難ではなかった 困難じゃなかった	こんなんではなかった こんなんじゃなかった	konnan de wa nakatta konnan ja nakatta
Formal	困難です	こんなんです	konnan desu
Formal negative	困難ではありません 困難じゃありません	こんなんではありません こんなんじゃありません	konnan de wa arimasen konnan ja arimasen
Formal past	困難でした	こんなんでした	konnan deshita
Formal negative past	困難ではありませんでした 困難じゃありませんでした	こんなんではありませんでした こんなんじゃありませんでした	konnan de wa arimasen deshita konnan ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	困難で	こんなんで	konnan de
Conditional	困難なら（ば）	こんなんなら（ば）	konnan nara (ba)
Provisional	困難だったら	こんなんだったら	konnan dattara
Volitional	困難だろう	こんなんだろう	konnan darō
Adverbial	困難に	こんなんに	konnan ni
Degree	困難さ	こんなんさ	konnansa

Noun

困(こん)難(なん) • (konnan) 

1. difficulties, hardship, trouble

References

• “困難”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎ (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2025

Korean

Hanja in this term
困	難

Noun

困難 • (gollan) (hangeul 곤란)

1. hanja form^? of 곤란 (“trouble; difficulty”)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
困	難

Adjective

困難

1. chữ Hán form of khốn nạn (“difficult”)

Interjection

困難

1. chữ Hán form of khốn nạn (“(offensive) Damn! Shit!”)