The Meaning of kutsuu [苦痛] In Japanese

苦痛
くつう
Romaji: kutsuu N3

What does 苦痛 mean?

Translation and Meaning

pain, distress, suffering

Definition

苦痛 means pain or distress; it refers to physical or emotional suffering experienced by a person, and is used in medical, psychological, and literary contexts to describe intense discomfort or hardship.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Physical pain from injury or illness
  • Emotional or psychological suffering or distress
  • Extreme discomfort or hardship in challenging situations
  • Figurative or literary use to denote existential or moral anguish

Etymology

Phonetic evolution: the term is a Sino-Japanese compound formed from 苦 and 痛, with the standard pronunciation くつう (kutsū) consolidated in modern Japanese; the readings have stabilized in compound use.

Origin

First attested in Heian-period classical texts, the word gained prominence in medical and literary contexts through Edo-period writings and continues in modern discourse.

Composition

  • 苦 = hardship, bitterness
  • 痛 = pain, ache
  • 苦痛 = combined sense of pain or distress arising from hardship

Usage

Used as a noun to denote pain or suffering, with a formal register in medical and academic writing and broader use in journalism and literature; commonly paired with verbs and particles such as を感じる and に耐える; examples include 苦痛を感じる and 苦痛に耐える.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine biting into something bitter (苦) and then feeling a sharp sting (痛) — the two sensations fuse into kutsuu, pain.

Variations

  • 痛み itami – pain, common everyday term
  • 苦悶 kumon – agony, intense distress, more literary
  • 苦痛 (kutsū) – formal/clinical usage

Example Phrases

  • 長い待ち時間で彼女は苦痛に耐えた。
    Nagai machijikan de kanojo wa kutsuu ni taeta.
    She endured pain during the long waiting time.
    Lista:
    • 長い (nagai) – long
    • 待ち時間 (machijikan) – waiting time
    • で (de) – at / during
    • 彼女 (kanojo) – she
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 苦痛 (kutsuu) – pain
    • に (ni) – to / at
    • 耐えた (taeta) – endured
    Core grammar: 苦痛 is a noun meaning distress or pain; in this sentence it appears as 「苦痛に耐える」, meaning ‘to endure pain’.
苦痛