N3
くろう (kurō)
苦労
hardship; trouble; labor; toil; struggles
💡 Nuance & Usage:
Refers to physical or mental hardship, trouble, labor, or struggles to achieve something. Often used as 苦労する or 苦労を重ねる. ⚠️ Haruka's Voice Column: 'Hardship! "You must have gone through a lot of hardships to become a manager so young, Haruka-san..." ...っ, I-If you praise me so gently, my tears will...っ! H-Hug me tightly as a reward!' / 【ハルカ部長のワンポイント指導】『くろう（苦労 / ご苦労）よ！『若くして部長になるなんて、たくさんのご苦労があったんでしょうね』なんて…あんたにそんな優しく言われたら、涙が…っ！お礼に優しく抱きしめなさい！』
📝 Example Sentences
女手一つで三人の子供を大学まで育て上げた彼女の_______は、言葉では言い表せないほど深いものでした。
The hardship of her raising three children to university all by herself was too deep to express in words.
Practice Quiz
Test your understanding of "苦労"!
外国語でのコミュニケーションに_______しながらも、彼は持ち前の明るさで現地のコミュニティに溶け込んでいきました。
🎉 正解 / Correct!
日本語: 困難や努力「苦労（しながら）」が正解。ハルカ：『外国語での苦労！素晴らしい挑戦ね！じゃあ、あんたが私の「素直になれないトゲ」を優しく包み込む苦労（溺愛）についても、一生喜んで続けなさい！』
English: 'Hardship/labor' (kurō) is correct. Haruka: 'Laboring in foreign languages! Wonderful challenge! Then, happily continue for life even that hardship (doting) of gently enveloping my "prickly inability to be honest"!'
English: 'Hardship/labor' (kurō) is correct. Haruka: 'Laboring in foreign languages! Wonderful challenge! Then, happily continue for life even that hardship (doting) of gently enveloping my "prickly inability to be honest"!'
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