労苦(ろうく)

ろうく
noun
hardship; toil; suffering
formalwrittenabstract
1. hardship; toil; suffering
Physical or mental suffering caused by hard work or difficult circumstances. A somewhat literary or formal word emphasizing the burden of effort.
長年(ながねん)の労苦(ろうく)が報(むく)われた。
Years of hardship were rewarded.
親(おや)の労苦(ろうく)を知(し)らずに育(そだ)った。
I grew up without knowing my parents' hardships.
多(おお)くの労苦(ろうく)を乗(の)り越(こ)えて、ようやく事業(じぎょう)を成功(せいこう)させた。
After overcoming many hardships, I finally made the business a success.

労苦(ろうく) combines 労(ろう) (labor) and 苦(く) (suffering), making it more emphatic than 苦労(くろう).

Similar words

  • 苦労(くろう) — hardship, trouble (common, everyday word)
  • 労苦(ろうく) — hardship, toil (more literary, emphasizes the weight of effort)
  • 辛苦(しんく) — suffering, affliction (formal, written)

労苦(ろうく) is often used in contexts where someone has endured sustained effort or difficulty, particularly when acknowledging or honoring that effort.

Related Words

Synonym: 苦労(くろう) (hardship (common))
general
Added 2026.3.22 9:40 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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