Meaning and Usage
힘겹다 describes a state of being physically or mentally strained to the point of difficulty or exhaustion. It often implies that the person or situation lacks sufficient strength or resources to easily manage the task or condition.
Common Contexts
This adjective is frequently used to express hardship in daily life, such as struggling with work, health, or emotional burdens. It conveys a sense of barely managing or enduring something challenging.
Collocations and Patterns
- 힘겹게 + verb: describes doing something with great difficulty (e.g., 힘겹게 걷다 - to walk with difficulty).
- 몸도 마음도 힘겹다: a common phrase expressing both physical and emotional exhaustion.
- 힘겹게 + past tense verb: indicates barely accomplishing an action (e.g., 힘겹게 통과하다 - to barely pass).
Register and Nuance
힘겹다 is somewhat formal and often found in written or spoken Korean when describing serious hardship. It is more expressive than simply saying 어렵다 (difficult), emphasizing the struggle and lack of strength.
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 힘겹다 with 힘들다. While both relate to difficulty, 힘겹다 emphasizes the insufficiency of strength and the struggle to continue, often implying a more severe or exhausting situation than 힘들다.