Meaning
辛苦 describes work or effort that is physically or mentally demanding and tiring. It can function as an adjective meaning 'hard' or 'toilsome', or as a verb meaning 'to toil' or 'to work hard'. The word carries a sense of endurance through difficulty and is often used to acknowledge someone's effort.
Usage
Commonly used to thank someone for their hard work (辛苦了) or to acknowledge that something requires significant effort. It's polite and respectful, frequently heard in workplace settings or when expressing gratitude. Can describe both physical labor and mental strain.
Examples
- 01你辛苦了，先休息一下吧。, .You've worked hard, take a rest first.
- 02这份工作很辛苦，但是很有意义。, .This job is exhausting, but it's very meaningful.
Characters
Common collocations
- 辛苦了thank you for your hard work
- 很辛苦very hard/exhausting
- 不辞辛苦to spare no effort
- 辛苦工作to work hard
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to unpleasant sensations: 辛 originally meant 'spicy/acrid' and 苦 means 'bitter'. Together they metaphorically represent the bitter and difficult nature of hard work.