Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Hardworking, diligent, painstaking: Describes a person who consistently makes an effort, endures hardship, and is not afraid of difficulties or hard work.
   • Willing to endure hardship: Indicates a characteristic of being patient and persistent in the face of challenges.

2. Adverb (often used with a verb):

   • To take pains to, to make an effort to: Used before a verb to describe the action of doing something diligently, with care and persistent effort.

Usage Examples

• As an adjective:

  • Cô ấy là một người rất chịu khó. (She is a very hardworking/diligent person.)
  • Anh ấy làm việc gì cũng chịu khó. (He is painstaking in everything he does.)

• As an adverb (modifying a verb):

  • Bạn nên chịu khó đọc lại bài. (You should take pains to reread the lesson.)
  • Chịu khó tập thể dục mỗi ngày sẽ tốt cho sức khỏe. (Making an effort to exercise every day is good for your health.)

Advanced Usage

• "chịu khó chịu khổ": To endure hardship and suffering; to be very resilient.

  • Muốn thành công thì phải chịu khó chịu khổ. (To succeed, one must endure hardship and suffering.)

• "ăn chịu khó": (Colloquial) Describes eating a lot or with great appetite, often implying hard work leads to a good appetite.

  • Làm việc vất vả nên anh ấy ăn rất chịu khó. (He works hard, so he eats with great appetite.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chịu thương chịu khó (idiomatic phrase): To be industrious and enduring; to be hardworking and resilient through thick and thin. This is a common and stronger variant.

  • Bà mẹ ấy cả đời chịu thương chịu khó nuôi con. (That mother spent her whole life working hard and enduring hardships to raise her children.)

• Chịu khổ (verb phrase): To suffer, to endure misery/hardship. Focuses more on enduring suffering rather than diligent effort.

  • Họ đã chịu khổ rất nhiều trong chiến tranh. (They suffered a lot during the war.)

Synonyms

• Cần cù (adj): Diligent, industrious.
• Siêng năng (adj): Assiduous, diligent, hardworking.
• Kiên trì (adj): Persistent, persevering.

Related Phrases

• Có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim (idiom): Literally "Persistence turns an iron rod into a needle." Means "Where there's a will, there's a way" or "Constant effort yields success." This idiom encapsulates the spirit of "chịu khó".

1. To take pains
   • chịu khó học tập
     to take pains to study
   • con người chịu khó
     a painstaking person