難 means “difficult, hardship”

むずかしい · muzukashii

Also: impossible, trouble, accident

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

かたい, むずかしい, むづかしい, むつかしい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ナン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 6 · 18 strokes

The story

A bird (隹) on the right, the heavy strokes of the left holding it down: picture wings that can't get free. 難しい means difficult, and ありがとう comes from 有り難い, "hard to have": thanks for something rare.

Used in 難しい (muzukashii, difficult), 困難 (konnan, difficulty), and 避難 (hinan, evacuation)

More from How Things Feel

• 良 good
• 適 suitable
• 静 quiet
• 困 be troubled
• 恐 fear
• 欲 want
• 疲 tired
• 忙 busy
• 偶 chance
• 偉 admirable
• 情 feelings

Learn 難 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.