Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Excruciatingly humiliating; painfully degrading: Describes a state or experience that combines intense suffering with profound shame or dishonor.
   • Of the nature of indignities: Pertaining to treatment or circumstances that are deeply offensive to one's dignity, causing both pain and humiliation.

2. Noun:

   • Painful indignity; bitter humiliation: Refers to the specific condition or instance of enduring suffering intertwined with disgrace.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Họ phải chịu một cuộc sống khổ nhục. (They had to endure an excruciatingly humiliating life.)
  • Đó là một kinh nghiệm khổ nhục không thể quên. (That was an unforgettable, painfully degrading experience.)

• Noun:

  • Anh ấy cam chịu mọi khổ nhục để bảo vệ gia đình. (He willingly endured every painful indignity to protect his family.)

Advanced Usage

• "khổ nhục kế": A stratagem of stooping to conquer; a plan involving the voluntary endurance of humiliation to deceive an enemy.
  • Tướng quân áp dụng khổ nhục kế để đánh lừa đối phương. (The general employed the stratagem of stooping to conquer to deceive the enemy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Khổ (adj/n): Suffering, hardship, bitter.
• Nhục (adj/n): Humiliation, disgrace, shameful.
• Nhục nhã (adj): Humiliating, disgraceful.

Synonyms

• Humiliating suffering
• Degrading agony
• Ignominious pain

Related Idioms

• Chịu khổ nhục: To endure painful humiliation.
  • Vì lợi ích chung, ông ấy sẵn sàng chịu khổ nhục. (For the common good, he is willing to endure painful humiliation.)

1. Of the nature of indignities, causing pain and humiliation, excruciatingly humiliating
   • Kế khổ nhục
     To undergo painful indignities and deceive the enemy;to stoop to conquer