困 means “be troubled, in a fix”

こまる · komaru

Also: quandary, become distressed, annoyed

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

こまる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

コン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 6 · 7 strokes

The story

A tree (木) boxed in on every side (囗): no room to grow and nowhere to go. 困る means to be stuck or troubled, and 困ったな, "well, this is a problem", is what you mutter when the last train has already left.

Used in 困る (komaru, to be in trouble), 困難 (konnan, difficulty), and 貧困 (hinkon, poverty)

More from How Things Feel

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

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

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