苦渋|くじゅうkujuu[0]heiban (flat)

Common
Definitions
  1. suru verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectivebitterness; distress; pain; anguish; affliction
    だからまあ、学生がくせい会かいとしても苦渋くじゅうの決断けつだんてやつなんだ。わかってやってくれ。↗
    So, well, it's a bitter decision for the student council to make as well. Give 'em a break.
  2. nounbitterness and astringency
Conjugation
Dictionary form苦渋する(くじゅうする)
Polite (masu)苦渋します(くじゅうします)
Negative (nai)苦渋しない(くじゅうしない)
polite (masen)苦渋しません(くじゅうしません)
classical zu / nu苦渋せず・苦渋せぬ(くじゅうせず・くじゅうせぬ)
Past (ta)苦渋した(くじゅうした)
polite (mashita)苦渋しました(くじゅうしました)
Past negative (nakatta)苦渋しなかった(くじゅうしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)苦渋しませんでした(くじゅうしませんでした)
Te form苦渋して(くじゅうして)
Potential苦渋できる(くじゅうできる)
Passive苦渋される(くじゅうされる)
Causative苦渋させる(くじゅうさせる)
Causative passive苦渋させられる(くじゅうさせられる)
Conditional (ba)苦渋すれば(くじゅうすれば)
tara苦渋したら(くじゅうしたら)
Volitional苦渋しよう(くじゅうしよう)
polite (mashou)苦渋しましょう(くじゅうしましょう)
Imperative苦渋しろ(くじゅうしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym苦しみくるしみNeutralNeutral, everyday word for pain and suffering in general; broad in use and not tied to the anguish of making a hard decision.
  • Synonym苦痛くつうNeutralNeutral word for pain felt in body or mind, as in 「苦痛を訴える」; it centers on the pain itself.
  • Synonym苦悩くのうWrittenWritten word for mental anguish, stressing inner torment, as in 「苦悩の日々」.
  • Related悩みなやみNeutralThe most common everyday word for worries and cares, as in 「悩みを相談する」; it centers on what weighs on the mind.
  • Related艱苦かんくWrittenWritten word for hardship, stressing difficult circumstances; 「苦渋」 instead points to the anguish of a hard decision, often as 「苦渋の決断」.
  • Related苦衷くちゅうWrittenWritten word for distress one finds hard to voice — unspoken hardships, as in 「苦衷を察する」.
  • Related疾苦しっくWrittenRare written word for suffering caused by illness, or for distress in general.
  • Related苦患くげんWrittenRare written Buddhist term for the hellish suffering endured in hell.

Choose 「苦渋」 for the anguish of making a hard decision, as in 「苦渋の決断」 or 「苦渋の色を浮かべる」. For pain in general use 「苦しみ」 or 「苦痛」, for everyday worries 「悩み」, and for distress you cannot easily voice 「苦衷」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. 苦にがく、渋しぶいこと。
  2. 苦くるしみ、悩なやむこと。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents

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