苦悩
kunō
In Japanese, anguish is 苦悩 (kunō).
苦悩 is a noun used to describe profound mental anguish and distress caused by internal struggles or conflicts. It is typically used in literary, philosophical or psychological contexts to describe profound mental suffering.
Meaning: extreme pain (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the kanji 苦 (ku), meaning suffering or pain and 悩 (nō), meaning distress or worry.
Which one should you use?
For a long and hard struggle, often accompanied by emotional suffering, the formal term 苦節 (kussetsu) can be used.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
kunō
Did you know?
- The character 苦 in 苦悩 also means 'bitter' and is used to describe the taste of things like coffee or gourd.
- In Japanese, the feeling of anguish is sometimes expressed through the word 胸が締め付けられる (mune ga shimetsukerareru), which literally means 'one's chest is being tightened'.
- The etymology of the second character reveals a hidden layer of resentment, as its original Middle Chinese components suggest a combination of 'suffering' and 'hatred' or 'anger'.
Examples in context
- 彼は心の苦悩を抱えている。Kare wa kokoro no kunou o kakaete iru.He is carrying deep mental anguish.
- その詩は作者の苦悩を表現している。Sono shi wa sakusha no kunou o hyougen shite iru.The poem expresses the author's anguish.
- 絶え間ない苦悩が彼を襲った。Taemanai kunou ga kare o osotta.Constant anguish struck him.
Example conversation
Two friends discussing a character in a novel.
- 美咲 Misakiこの主人公の苦悩は凄まじいね。Kono shujinkou no kunou wa susamajii ne.The protagonist's anguish is intense, isn't it?
- 健太 Kentaそうだね、読んでいて辛くなったよ。Sou da ne, yonde ite tsuraku natta yo.It is, it became painful to read.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんは、こういう物語は好き？Kenta-san wa, kouiu monogatari wa suki?Kenta, do you like these kinds of stories?
- 健太 Kenta深く考えさせられるから、好きだよ。Fukaku kangaesaseru kara, suki da yo.I like them because they make me think deeply.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 苦悩, CC BY-SA 4.0.
