About
The character for "difficult", now written as "难", originated from a more complex traditional form, "難", which provides clues to its early meaning. Its structure combines a component representing a bird (隹) with another element often interpreted as indicating sound or perhaps a ritual vessel, leading to an original association with a type of pheasant or, more significantly, a bird that was troublesome to catch. This concrete notion of a challenging task or prey naturally extended to the abstract sense of hardship and adversity, which became its primary meaning. Over the centuries, this core concept of difficulty broadened to encompass related ideas such as misfortune, disaster, and even to serve as a verb meaning to blame or reproach. The modern simplified form retains the right-hand phonetic component of the traditional character while replacing the left side with "又", a common simplification marker that streamlines writing but severs the visual connection to the earlier pictorial element.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个问题很难。
学习中文很难。
生活中有很多困难。
难忘的经历让我成长。
难以理解他的想法。
难闻的气味弥漫在空气中。
在短时间内完成任务很难。
尽管面临诸多困难，我们仍要坚持。