困 Meaning, Reading, and Vocabulary｜Onyomi コン・Kunyomi こま.る
The kanji 困 depicts a tree (木) trapped in a narrow space (囗), suffering because it cannot grow.
Its onyomi is 'コン' and its kunyomi is 'こま.る'.
It is frequently used to express difficult or troubling situations, such as in the words '困難' (difficulty) and '困惑' (bewilderment).
Kanji at a glance
Core meaning / core image
The kanji 困 means 'trouble', 'distress', or 'difficulty', depicting being trapped in a blocked space unable to move. It is mainly used to describe situations where you are at a loss because no solution is in sight.
Kanji structure breakdown
Mnemonic story
A single tree (木) is trapped inside a solid wall (囗) blocked on all sides. Unable to get proper sunlight or space to spread its branches, its growth is stunted, leaving it in great distress. This image of a trapped tree gave rise to the meanings 'to be troubled' or 'to be in a difficult situation'.
On'yomi and kun'yomi
On reading
Kun reading
Commonly used words
Example sentences
Mini quiz
Which of the following words containing the kanji 困 has the incorrect reading?
One-line summary
The kanji 困 originates from the image of a tree trapped in a narrow space, representing a state of being troubled, distressed, or at a loss for what to do.
FAQ
What is the difference between 困る (こまる) and 難しい (むずかしい)?
難しい expresses the objective fact that a problem or situation itself is 'difficult' (high level of difficulty). On the other hand, 困る is used to express a subjective feeling or state of being 'troubled' or 'at a loss' because you don't know how to handle a certain situation.
Can 困る be used to mean 'tired'?
In Japanese, 困る (こまる) does not mean 'tired'. To say you are tired, use 疲れる (つかれる). However, note that in Chinese, 困 is often used to mean 'sleepy', so learners familiar with Chinese characters should be careful not to confuse them.
