# 苦尽甘来

kǔ jìn gān lái

Better times arrive after difficulties

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Bitterness ends and sweetness comes

**Traditional Chinese:** 苦盡甘來

**Register:** General · spoken & written

[Change & possibility](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/change)

## When to use it

Recognize relief or achievement following a difficult period.

It expresses a hopeful outcome rather than a guarantee.

## The image & its use

The contrasting tastes turn an experience over time into something easy to picture. A learner might spend months practicing a difficult instrument before a melody finally flows smoothly. The later satisfaction feels especially welcome because the earlier effort was demanding. This expression looks back from that improved position. It does not say that every difficulty automatically produces a reward; the useful emphasis is on recognizing a real change and appreciating the work or support that helped it happen.

## Examples

练习了半年，她终于苦尽甘来，能流畅地演奏了。

### Traditional Chinese

練習了半年，她終於苦盡甘來，能流暢地演奏了。

liàn xí le bàn nián ， tā zhōng yú kǔ jìn gān lái ， néng liú chàng dì yǎn zòu le 。

After six months of practice, she finally enjoyed the reward of playing fluently.

搬家安排妥当后，一家人感到苦尽甘来。

### Traditional Chinese

搬家安排妥當後，一家人感到苦盡甘來。

bān jiā ān pái tuǒ dàng hòu ， yì jiā rén gǎn dào kǔ jìn gān lái 。

Once the move was settled, the family felt the difficult period had given way to better times.

项目终于完成，大家都有苦尽甘来的感觉。

### Traditional Chinese

項目終於完成，大家都有苦盡甘來的感覺。

xiàng mù zhōng yú wán chéng ， dà jiā dōu yǒu kǔ jìn gān lái de gǎn jué 。

With the project finished, everyone felt rewarded after the difficulties.

他用苦尽甘来形容自己学习书法的经历。

### Traditional Chinese

他用苦盡甘來形容自己學習書法的經歷。

tā yòng kǔ jìn gān lái xíng róng zì jǐ xué xí shū fǎ de jīng lì 。

He described learning calligraphy as a journey from difficulty to satisfaction.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1171&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E8%8B%A6%E7%9B%A1%E7%94%98%E4%BE%86)

## Keep exploring

- [狼狈不堪 láng bèi bù kān Be in a thoroughly distressed or disheveled state ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/lang-bei-bu-kan)

- [乐不思蜀 lè bù sī shǔ Enjoy yourself so much that you forget home ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/le-bu-si-shu)

- [乐极生悲 lè jí shēng bēi Joy taken too far can end in sorrow ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/le-ji-sheng-bei)

- [立竿见影 lì gān jiàn yǐng Produce an immediate visible result ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/li-gan-jian-ying)

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