Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Grueling, arduous, extremely difficult and tiring: Describes a situation, task, or period that involves severe hardship, intense effort, and suffering.
   • Full of tribulations, harsh: Characterizes experiences that are marked by severe trials and adversity.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cuộc sống nơi vùng núi thật gian lao. (Life in the mountainous region is truly grueling.)
  • Họ đã trải qua một chặng đường gian lao để đạt được thành công. (They went through an arduous journey to achieve success.)
  • Những năm tháng chiến tranh là một thời kỳ gian lao của dân tộc. (The war years were a period of harsh tribulations for the nation.)

Advanced Usage

• Often used in formal, literary, or solemn contexts to emphasize the severity of hardship, rather than everyday minor difficulties.
• Commonly describes long-term struggles, historical periods, or significant life challenges.
  • Gian lao thử thách (grueling trials and tribulations): A set phrase emphasizing severe tests.
  • ... đầy gian lao (... full of hardships): A common structure to describe a difficult process.

Variants and Related Words

• Gian khó (adj): Difficult, hard. (A close synonym, sometimes slightly less intense than ).
• Gian truân (adj): Full of hardships and vicissitudes. (A literary synonym with a similar meaning).
• Vất vả (adj): Laborious, toilsome. (Describes hard work and fatigue, but may not always imply the same level of severe suffering as ).
• Khó khăn (adj): Difficult. (A more general and common term for difficulty).

Synonyms

• Arduous: Involving strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.
• Grueling: Extremely tiring and demanding.
• Harsh: Unpleasantly rough or severe, especially in conditions.

Related Phrases

• Trải qua gian lao: To go through hardships/to undergo tribulations.
  • Thế hệ trước đã trải qua nhiều gian lao. (The previous generation went through many hardships.)
• Vượt qua gian lao: To overcome hardships.
  • Họ đã cùng nhau vượt qua mọi gian lao. (They overcame all hardships together.)

Related Idioms

• Gian nan, gian lao: A common paired phrase meaning "trials and tribulations" or "extreme difficulties."
  • Con đường phía trước còn nhiều gian nan, gian lao. (The road ahead still holds many trials and tribulations.)
• Lửa thử vàng, gian nan thử sức: (Proverb) "Fire tests gold, adversity tests strength." This proverb highlights how hardship (, closely related to ) tests a person's character and resilience.

1. Gruelling hard