何苦

hé kǔ

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Adverb Rare

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Definitions

1. why bother?
2. is it worth the trouble?

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Word relationships

Related words

1 item

• 自讨苦吃 zì tǎo kǔ chī 自讨苦吃 zì tǎo kǔ chī to ask for trouble (idiom) 何苦 implies bringing trouble upon oneself; 自讨苦吃 is a set phrase meaning 'to ask for trouble'.: to ask for trouble (idiom)

Synonyms

1 item

• 何必 hé bì 何必 hé bì there is no need Both 何苦 and 何必 are used in rhetorical questions to mean 'why bother', but 何苦 carries a stronger sense of unnecessary suffering or hardship.: there is no need

Usage notes

Common mistakes

何苦 must appear before the main verb or clause it modifies, unlike English 'why bother' which often comes at the end.

Example Sentences

1 shown

你 何苦 为这点小事生气呢？

Why bother getting angry over such a small thing?

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 何苦

• 苦 苦 kǔ: bitter
• 何 何 hé: what