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nán
HSK 2.0 Level 3 HSK 3.0 Level 1

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Definitions

  1. 1. difficult (to...)
  2. 2. problem
  3. 3. difficulty
  4. 4. difficult
  5. 5. not good

Example Sentences

1 shown
这很
Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 869094)

Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org.

Words Containing 难

受难
shòu nàn

to suffer a calamity

劫难
jié nàn

calamity

难经
nàn jīng

Classic on Medical Problems, c. 1st century AD

艰难
jiān nán

difficult

阻难
zǔ nàn

to thwart

落难
luò nàn

to meet with misfortune

避难
bì nàn

refuge

难言之隐
nán yán zhī yǐn

a hidden trouble hard to mention (idiom)

千难万难
qiān nán wàn nán

extremely difficult

难得一见
nán dé yī jiàn

rarely seen

难吃
nán chī

unpalatable

家家有本难念的经
jiā jiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīng

every family has its problems (idiom)

天下无难事,只怕有心人
tiān xià wú nán shì , zhǐ pà yǒu xīn rén

there is nothing the determined person can't accomplish (idiom)

患难之交
huàn nàn zhī jiāo

a friend in times of tribulations (idiom); a friend in need is a friend indeed

受难纪念
shòu nán jì niàn

memorial

患难见真情
huàn nàn jiàn zhēn qíng

true sentiments are seen in hard times (idiom)

难捱
nán ái

trying

难缠
nán chán

(usu. of people) difficult

多灾多难
duō zāi duō nàn

to be plagued with misfortunes

在家千日好,出门一时难
zài jiā qiān rì hǎo , chū mén yī shí nán

lit. at home, one can spend a thousand days in comfort, but spending a day away from home can be challenging (idiom)

大难临头
dà nàn lín tóu

to be facing imminent calamity (idiom)

羞口难开
xiū kǒu nán kāi

to be too embarrassed for words (idiom)

由俭入奢易,由奢入俭难
yóu jiǎn rù shē yì , yóu shē rù jiǎn nán

it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance; the reverse is not so easy (idiom)

犯难
fàn nán

to feel embarrassed

难弹
nán tán

hard to play (of music for stringed instrument)

死难者
sǐ nàn zhě

victim of an accident

一木难支
yī mù nán zhī

lit. a single post cannot prop up a falling house (idiom)

左右两难
zuǒ yòu liǎng nán

(idiom) between a rock and a hard place

有借有还,再借不难
yǒu jiè yǒu huán , zài jiè bù nán

return what you borrowed on time, you may borrow again next time (idiom)

高难
gāo nán

extremely difficult

出难题
chū nán tí

to raise a tough question

百般刁难
bǎi bān diāo nàn

(idiom) to put up innumerable obstacles; to create all kinds of difficulties

可共患难
kě gòng huàn nàn

to go through thick and thin together (idiom)

难为
nán wei

to bother

疑难
yí nán

hard to understand

牛不喝水难按角
niú bù hē shuǐ nán àn jiǎo

(idiom) you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink

为难
wéi nán

to feel embarrassed or awkward

羞愧难当
xiū kuì nán dāng

to feel ashamed (idiom)

知易行难
zhī yì xíng nán

easy to grasp but difficult to put into practice (idiom)

更仆难数
gēng pú nán shǔ

too many to count

没齿难忘
mò chǐ nán wàng

hard to forget even after one's teeth fall out (idiom); to remember a benefactor as long as one lives

难以理解
nán yǐ lǐ jiě

hard to understand

在所难免
zài suǒ nán miǎn

to be unavoidable (idiom)

黄帝八十一难经
huáng dì bā shí yī nàn jīng

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Eighty-one Difficulties, medical text, c. 1st century AD

千载难逢
qiān zǎi nán féng

extremely rare (idiom)

吞咽困难
tūn yàn kùn nán

dysphagia (medicine)

巧妇难为无米之炊
qiǎo fù nán wéi wú mǐ zhī chuī

The cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice (idiom); You won't get anywhere without equipment.

难行
nán xíng

hard to pass

奢易俭难
shē yì jiǎn nán

easy to become accustomed to luxury, hard to become accustomed to frugality (idiom)

难关
nán guān

difficulty

难于接近
nán yú jiē jìn

(of people) difficult to approach

百胜难虑敌,三折乃良医
bǎi shèng nán lǜ dí , sān zhé nǎi liáng yī

(a line from a poem by the Tang poet Liu Yuxi 劉禹錫|刘禹锡[liú yǔ xī]) one gains very little insight into one's enemy from a hundred victories, but he who breaks his arm three times will be a good doctor

曾经沧海难为水,除却巫山不是云
céng jīng cāng hǎi nán wéi shuǐ , chú què wū shān bù shì yún

there are no rivers to one who has crossed the ocean, and no clouds to one who has passed Mount Wu (idiom)

难点
nán diǎn

difficulty

疑难解答
yí nán jiě dá

trouble shooting

天理难容
tiān lǐ nán róng

Heaven cannot tolerate this (idiom)

插翅难飞
chā chì nán fēi

lit. even given wings, you couldn't fly (idiom); fig. impossible to escape

质难
zhì nàn

to blame

便难
biàn nàn

retort with challenging questions

劫数难逃
jié shù nán táo

Destiny is inexorable, there is no fleeing it (idiom). Your doom is at hand.

难搞
nán gǎo

hard to deal with

难解
nán jiě

hard to solve

难懂
nán dǒng

difficult to understand

诵读困难症
sòng dú kùn nan zhèng

dyslexia

多难兴邦
duō nàn xīng bāng

much hardships may awaken a nation (idiom); calamity that prompts renewal

介于两难
jiè yú liǎng nán

to be on the horns of a dilemma (idiom)

进退为难
jìn tuì wéi nán

no room to advance or to retreat (idiom); without any way out of a dilemma

难记
nán jì

hard to remember

国难
guó nàn

national calamity

死难
sǐ nàn

to die in an accident

覆水难收
fù shuǐ nán shōu

spilt water is difficult to retrieve (idiom)

山难
shān nàn

mountain accident

难以捉摸
nán yǐ zhuō mō

elusive

强人所难
qiǎng rén suǒ nán

to force someone to do something

江山易改,本性难移
jiāng shān yì gǎi , běn xìng nán yí

it is easier to change mountains and rivers than to alter one's character (idiom)

大难不死
dà nàn bù sǐ

to just escape from calamity

难以撼动
nán yǐ hàn dòng

unsusceptible to change

明枪易躲,暗箭难防
míng qiāng yì duǒ , àn jiàn nán fáng

lit. easy to dodge the spear in the open, hard to avoid a stab in the dark (idiom); it is hard to guard against secret conspiracies

人心难测
rén xīn nán cè

hard to fathom a person's mind (idiom)

难处
nán chu

trouble; difficulty; problem

逃难
táo nàn

to run away from trouble

责难
zé nàn

to censure

难兄难弟
nán xiōng nán dì

lit. hard to differentiate between elder and younger brother (idiom)

好借好还,再借不难
hǎo jiè hǎo huán , zài jiè bù nán

see 有借有還,再借不難|有借有还,再借不难[yǒu jiè yǒu huán , zài jiè bù nán]

难上加难
nán shàng jiā nán

extremely difficult

自身难保
zì shēn nán bǎo

powerless to defend oneself (idiom); helpless

政治避难
zhèng zhì bì nàn

political asylum

寸步难行
cùn bù nán xíng

unable to move a single step (idiom)

难民营
nàn mín yíng

refugee camp

死结难解
sǐ jié nán jiě

enigmatic knot hard to untie (idiom); thorny problem

刁难
diāo nàn

to be hard on sb; to deliberately make things difficult

受难者
shòu nàn zhě

sufferer

难兄难弟
nàn xiōng nàn dì

brothers in hardship (idiom)

难为情
nán wéi qíng

embarrassed

万事起头难
wàn shì qǐ tóu nán

the first step is the hardest (idiom)

罄笔难书
qìng bǐ nán shū

too numerous to be cited (of atrocities or misdeeds) (idiom)

本性难移
běn xìng nán yí

It is hard to change one's essential nature (idiom). You can't change who you are.

进退两难
jìn tuì liǎng nán

no room to advance or to retreat (idiom); without any way out of a dilemma

难分难解
nán fēn nán jiě

to become caught up in an irresolvable situation (idiom)

发难
fā nàn

to rise in revolt

欲壑难填
yù hè nán tián

(idiom) insatiably greedy

空难
kōng nàn

air crash

难以实现
nán yǐ shí xiàn

hard to accomplish

难易
nán yì

difficulty

好梦难成
hǎo mèng nán chéng

a beautiful dream is hard to realize (idiom)

难得
nán dé

seldom

泥菩萨过江,自身难保
ní pú sà guò jiāng , zì shēn nán bǎo

like a clay Bodhisattva fording a river, can't guarantee his own safety

难不成
nán bù chéng

Is it possible that ... ?

众口难调
zhòng kǒu nán tiáo

it's difficult to please everyone (idiom)

面有难色
miàn yǒu nán sè

to show signs of reluctance or embarrassment

难保
nán bǎo

hard to say

难产
nán chǎn

difficult birth

君子一言,驷马难追
jūn zǐ yī yán , sì mǎ nán zhuī

a nobleman's word is his bond (proverb)

一言难尽
yī yán nán jìn

hard to explain in a few words (idiom); complicated and not easy to express succinctly

难题
nán tí

difficult problem

难闻
nán wén

unpleasant smell

有福同享,有难同当
yǒu fú tóng xiǎng , yǒu nàn tóng dāng

To enjoy blessings and endure misfortune together (idiom); for better or for worse

危难
wēi nàn

calamity

磨难
mó nàn

a torment

疑难杂症
yí nán zá zhèng

dubious or hard-to-treat cases (medicine)

非难
fēi nàn

reproof

难当
nán dāng

hard to endure (hot weather, itchiness etc)

寸金难买寸光阴
cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn

Time is precious.

勉为其难
miǎn wéi qí nán

to tackle a difficult job (idiom)

攻坚克难
gōng jiān kè nán

to tackle a thorny problem and overcome its challenges

两难
liǎng nán

dilemma

难于登天
nán yú dēng tiān

harder than climbing to heaven (idiom)

苦难深重
kǔ nàn shēn zhòng

deep grief

难走
nán zǒu

hard to get to

难分难舍
nán fēn nán shě

loath to part (idiom); emotionally close and unwilling to separate

咽下困难
yàn xià kùn nán

dysphagia (medicine)

遇难船
yù nán chuán

shipwreck

疑难问题
yí nán wèn tí

knotty problem

罄竹难书
qìng zhú nán shū

so many that the bamboo slats have been exhausted

真假难辨
zhēn jiǎ nán biàn

hard to distinguish real from imitation

难以自已
nán yǐ zì yǐ

cannot control oneself (idiom)

难逃法网
nán táo fǎ wǎng

It is hard to escape the dragnet of the law

大难
dà nàn

great catastrophe

难伺候
nán cì hou

(coll.) hard to please

难不倒
nán bù dǎo

not to pose a problem for sb

明枪好躲,暗箭难防
míng qiāng hǎo duǒ , àn jiàn nán fáng

lit. easy to dodge the spear in the open, hard to avoid a stab in the dark (idiom); it is hard to guard against secret conspiracies

救难
jiù nàn

to rescue

矿难
kuàng nàn

mining disaster

难以
nán yǐ

hard to (predict, imagine etc)

难倒
nán dǎo

to baffle

毁家纾难
huǐ jiā shū nàn
万事开头难
wàn shì kāi tóu nán

every beginning is difficult (idiom)

排难解纷
pái nàn jiě fēn

to remove perils and solve disputes (idiom); to reconcile differences

长夜难明
cháng yè nán míng

lit. many nights under a harsh moon

难道
nán dào

don't tell me ...

排除万难
pái chú wàn nán

to overcome all obstacles

临难
lín nàn

in peril

知难而退
zhī nán ér tuì

lit. to sound out the difficulties and retreat to avoid defeat (idiom)

易守难攻
yì shǒu nán gōng

easily guarded, hard to attack

难测
nán cè

hard to fathom

擢发难数
zhuó fà nán shǔ

lit. as difficult to count as hair pulled from sb's head (idiom)

排忧解难
pái yōu jiě nàn

to resolve a difficult situation and leave worries behind (idiom)

患难
huàn nàn

trials and tribulations

阿难陀
ē nán tuó

Prince Ananda, cousin of the Buddha and his closest disciple

清官难断家务事
qīng guān nán duàn jiā wù shì

even an honest and upright official will have difficulty resolving a family dispute (proverb)

大难不死,必有后福
dà nàn bù sǐ , bì yǒu hòu fú

one is bound for good fortune after surviving a great disaster (proverb)

一寸光阴一寸金,寸金难买寸光阴
yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn , cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn

fig. Time is precious and must be treasured.

难上难
nán shàng nán

extremely difficult

碍难
ài nán

inconvenient

寝食难安
qǐn shí nán ān

lit. cannot rest or eat in peace (idiom)

小洞不堵,大洞难补
xiǎo dòng bù dǔ , dà dòng nán bǔ

If you don't plug the small hole, the big hole will be hard to repair (idiom); A stitch in time saves nine.

难免
nán miǎn

hard to avoid

难听
nán tīng

unpleasant to hear

罹难
lí nàn

to die in an accident or disaster

难舍难离
nán shě nán lí

loath to part (idiom); emotionally close and unwilling to separate

难舍难分
nán shě nán fēn

loath to part (idiom); emotionally close and unwilling to separate

牵马到河易,强马饮水难
qiān mǎ dào hé yì , qiǎng mǎ yǐn shuǐ nán

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. (idiom)

避难所
bì nàn suǒ

refuge

难解难分
nán jiě nán fēn

hard to untie, hard to separate (idiom); inextricably involved

难以应付
nán yǐ yìng fù

hard to deal with

难过
nán guò

to feel sad

辩难
biàn nàn

to debate

千军易得,一将难求
qiān jūn yì dé , yī jiàng nán qiú

Easy to raise an army of one thousand, but hard to find a good general. (idiom)

法网难逃
fǎ wǎng nán táo

it is hard to escape the net of justice (idiom)

隐秘难言
yǐn mì nán yán

too embarrassing to mention

遭难
zāo nàn

to run into misfortune

阿难
ē nán

Prince Ananda, cousin of the Buddha and his closest disciple

从难从严
cóng nán cóng yán

demanding and strict (idiom)

受难日
shòu nàn rì

Good Friday

难辞其咎
nán cí qí jiù

cannot escape censure (idiom)

克难
kè nán

to make do in difficult circumstances by being resourceful

难以忍受
nán yǐ rěn shòu

hard to endure

一言既出,驷马难追
yī yán jì chū , sì mǎ nán zhuī

lit. once said, a team of horses cannot unsay it (idiom); a promise must be kept

骑虎难下
qí hǔ nán xià

if you ride a tiger, it's hard to get off (idiom); fig. impossible to stop halfway

落落难合
luò luò nán hé

a loner

万难
wàn nán

countless difficulties

泼水难收
pō shuǐ nán shōu

water once spilt cannot be retrieved (idiom); irreversible change

灾难性
zāi nàn xìng

catastrophic

英雄难过美人关
yīng xióng nán guò měi rén guān

even heroes have a weakness for the charms of a beautiful woman (idiom)

灾难片
zāi nàn piàn

disaster movie

左右为难
zuǒ yòu wéi nán

(idiom) between a rock and a hard place

江山易改禀性难移
jiāng shān yì gǎi bǐng xìng nán yí

rivers and mountains are easy to change, man's character much harder

难说
nán shuō

hard to tell (i.e. hard to judge or hard to predict)

善财难舍
shàn cái nán shě

to cherish wealth and find it hard to give up (idiom); refusing to contribute to charity

难以置信
nán yǐ zhì xìn

hard to believe

难忘
nán wàng

unforgettable

逃灾避难
táo zāi bì nàn

to seek refuge from calamities

难民
nàn mín

refugee

难受
nán shòu

to feel unwell

见难而上
jiàn nán ér shàng

to take the bull by the horns (idiom)

益觉困难
yì jué kùn nan

to find sth increasingly difficult

孤掌难鸣
gū zhǎng nán míng

It's hard to clap with only one hand.

难看
nán kàn

ugly

坐立难安
zuò lì nán ān
难怪
nán guài

(it's) no wonder (that...)

海难
hǎi nàn

perils of the sea

众怒难犯
zhòng nù nán fàn

(idiom) one cannot afford to incur public wrath

留难
liú nàn

to make sth difficult

困难在于
kùn nan zài yú

the problem is...

面临困难
miàn lín kùn nán

to be faced with problems

苦难
kǔ nàn

suffering

迎难而上
yíng nán ér shàng

to press on in the face of challenges

比登天还难
bǐ dēng tiān hái nán

lit. even harder than reaching the sky (idiom)

遇难
yù nàn

to perish

难以启齿
nán yǐ qǐ chǐ

to be too embarrassed to mention sth (idiom)

世上无难事,只怕有心人
shì shàng wú nán shì , zhǐ pà yǒu xīn rén

see 天下無難事,只怕有心人|天下无难事,只怕有心人[tiān xià wú nán shì , zhǐ pà yǒu xīn rén]

寸步难移
cùn bù nán yí

see 寸步難行|寸步难行[cùn bù nán xíng]

难熬
nán áo

hard to bear

难喝
nán hē

unpleasant to drink

关关难过,关关过
guān guān nán guò , guān guān guò

to meet with great difficulties but pull through

阎王好见,小鬼难当
yán wáng hǎo jiàn , xiǎo guǐ nán dāng

lit. standing in front of the King of Hell is easy, but smaller devils are difficult to deal with (idiom)

难能可贵
nán néng kě guì

rare and precious

困难
kùn nan

difficult

碍难从命
ài nán cóng mìng

difficult to obey orders (idiom); much to my embarrassment, I am unable to comply

灾难
zāi nàn

disaster; catastrophe

遇难者
yù nàn zhě

victim

殉难
xùn nàn

to sacrifice oneself in a just cause

急人之难
jí rén zhī nàn

anxious to help others resolve difficulties (idiom)

难堪
nán kān

hard to take

难度
nán dù

degree of difficulty

耶稣受难节
yē sū shòu nàn jié

Good Friday

蒙难
méng nàn

to meet with disaster

联合国难民事务高级专员办事处
lián hé guó nán mín shì wù gāo jí zhuān yuán bàn shì chù

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

恨海难填
hèn hǎi nán tián

sea of hatred is hard to fill (idiom); irreconcilable division

畏难
wèi nán

to be daunted by challenges

请神容易送神难
qǐng shén róng yì sòng shén nán

it's easier to invite the devil in than to send him away

急难
jí nàn

misfortune

难住
nán zhù

to baffle

靖难之役
jìng nán zhī yì

war of 1402 between successors of the first Ming Emperor

躲难
duǒ nàn

to take refuge