辛(つら)い

つらい
adjective (i-adjective)
hard, painful, difficult
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present辛(つら)い辛(つら)くない
Past辛(つら)かった辛(つら)くなかった
て form辛(つら)くて辛(つら)くなくて
Adverbial辛(つら)く—
Conditional ば辛(つら)ければ辛(つら)くなければ
Conditional たら辛(つら)かったら辛(つら)くなかったら
1. hard, painful, difficult to bear
Describing something emotionally or physically difficult to endure. Expresses suffering or hardship.
辛(つら)い時(とき)だ。
It's a hard time.
仕事(しごと)が辛(つら)いです。
Work is hard/painful.
Expressing that work is difficult to endure
別(わか)れるのは辛(つら)かった。
Parting was painful.
辛(つら)いことがあったら、話(はな)してください。
If something difficult happens, please talk to me.
一人(ひとり)で辛(つら)い気持(きも)ちを抱(かか)えないでください。誰(だれ)かに相談(そうだん)することが大切(たいせつ)です。
Please don't keep your painful feelings to yourself. It's important to talk to someone.

辛(つら)い describes something emotionally or physically painful and hard to endure — hardship, suffering, or distress. It is broader than 痛(いた)い (physical pain) and more personal than 大変(たいへん) (tough/difficult).

FORMS:

  • Negative: 辛(つら)くない
  • Te-form: 辛(つら)くて
  • Past: 辛(つら)かった
  • Adverb: 辛(つら)く

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 辛(つら)い経験(けいけん): a painful experience
  • 辛(つら)い思(おも)いをする: to go through a difficult time
  • 辛(つら)い時期(じき): a hard period

KANJI NOTE:

The kanji 辛(つら) has two readings with very different meanings:

  • 辛(つら)い (つらい): painful, hard to bear
  • 辛(から)い (からい): spicy, hot

Context usually makes the meaning clear.

core
Added 2026.1.7 21:12 · Revised 2026.3.27 12:01
01000/01112_tsurai