难过
HSK 3 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)Old HSK 3
难过 (nánguò) · sad
难过 (nánguò) means “sad; upset”. It is written with 2 characters: 难 (difficult) + 过 (to pass). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 难过 is built
The characters
难 nán · difficult
What 难 is made of
- 又yòu — and
- 隹zhuī — short-tailed bird
- 亻rén — person
Origin hint: A hand 又 trying to grasp at a bird 隹 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
过 guò · to pass
What 过 is made of
- 辶 — walking, moving
- 寸cùn — inch
Origin hint: 辶 gives the meaning, 咼 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
考得不好，他很难过。Kǎo de bù hǎo, tā hěn nánguò.He is sad because he did badly on the exam.
别难过，明天会更好。Bié nánguò, míngtiān huì gèng hǎo.Don't be sad, tomorrow will be better.
Questions about 难过
What does 难过 mean?
难过 (nánguò) means “sad; upset”.
How do you pronounce 难过?
难过 is pronounced nánguò.
Which HSK level is 难过?
难过 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 3.
Related words
- 难看nánkànugly
- 难受nánshòuto feel unwell
- 难题nántídifficult problem
- 难听nántīngunpleasant to hear
- 困难kùnnandifficulty
- 难道nándàocould it be that…?
- 难度nándùdifficulty
- 难免nánmiǎnhard to avoid
- 难怪nánguàino wonder
- 艰难jiānnándifficult
Learn 难过 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 3: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.