gaan1 san1艱辛艰辛
Jyutpinggaan1 san1
Yalegāan sān
Definition
Arduous, harsh, and difficult; requiring great effort to overcome and complete.
neutralworkdescriptions
How it's used
This word carries a sense of long-term struggle or endurance rather than just a momentary difficulty. It is often used to describe life journeys, raising children, or building a career from scratch. While it implies hardship, it also subtly acknowledges the strength or persistence required to push through such conditions.
Examples
This job is really arduous, I have to work twelve hours every day.
Raising several kids all by yourself must have been a really arduous process, right?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 辛苦, which is much more common and versatile. 辛苦 can describe physical tiredness, a minor inconvenience, or a difficult task, whereas 艱辛 is more formal and carries a heavier, more serious tone reserved for significant life challenges.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
