Definition
艰难 (jiān nán) describes a situation or process that is full of difficulties and requires great effort or perseverance. It is more formal and weighty than the basic 难 (nán), and unlike 困难 (kùn nan) it is only an adjective (not a noun). Compared with 艰苦 (jiān kǔ, harsh conditions) and 艰辛 (jiān xīn, toil), 艰难 emphasizes the overall arduousness of the path or task.
adjective
difficulthardchallenging
Examples
- 艰难。Chuàngyè de chūqī fēicháng jiān nán.The early stages of starting a business were very difficult.
- 艰难，。Tāmen kèfú le gè zhǒng jiān nán, zhōngyú chénggōng le.They overcame all kinds of hardships and finally succeeded.
- 艰难，。Zhè duàn lù hěn jiān nán, dàjiā yào xiǎoxīn zǒu.This stretch of road is very rough; everyone needs to walk carefully.
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