困

睏
kùn
囗 + 木
HSK 2.0Level 4
HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

kùn (adjective) surrounded; trapped; hard-pressed
kùn (adjective) tired; sleepy
kùn (verb) to surround; to trap

Etymology

Depicts a wooden (木) door frame (囗). Based on the original meaning "doorway, threshold". The meaning later expanded to "obstruct" and "trap".

About

困 is formed by placing the wood radical 木 inside the enclosure 囗, which here represents a door frame, creating a picture of a wooden threshold. Its original meaning was "doorway, threshold", which later developed into "obstruct" and "trap". The idea of being confined gave rise to extended meanings of distress, poverty, and hardship, and in modern Chinese the character is widely used to express "sleepy" or "exhausted", reflecting the physical sensation of being overcome by fatigue.

Example Sentences Hide

我现在很困。

Wǒ xiànzài hěn kùn.

I am very sleepy now.

他因困难而放弃。

Tā yīn kùnnán ér fàngqì.

He gave up because of difficulty.

这个问题困扰着我。

Zhège wèntí kùnrǎo zhe wǒ.

This problem perplexes me.

贫困地区需要帮助。

Pínkùn dìqū xūyào bāngzhù.

Poor areas need help.

他被困在电梯里。

Tā bèi kùn zài diàntī lǐ.

He was trapped in the elevator.

克服困难需要勇气。

Kèfú kùnnán xūyào yǒngqì.

Overcoming difficulties requires courage.

长期困扰他的问题解决了。

Chángqī kùnrǎo tā de wèntí jiějué le.

The problem that long perplexed him has been solved.

在贫困中成长的孩子更懂得珍惜。

Zài pínkùn zhōng chéngzhǎng de háizi gèng dǒngde zhēnxī.

Children who grow up in poverty know better how to cherish.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

捆 阃 悃 睏 綑 梱 裍 閫

Component: 囗

国 因 回 四 团 图 围 固 园 圆 圈 囚 粤 圃

Component: 木

样 机 相 果 权 格 术 根 极 林 集 查 李 标

Example Words

困境 困惑 困扰 困难 犯困 困意 贫困 交困 人困马乏 受困 困倦 困厄 困守 困局 困窘 困苦 困顿 围困 扶危济困 春困 疲困 发困 困觉 穷困