含辛茹苦

hán xīn rú kǔ

to endure every hardship (to raise a child or keep a family)

Character by character

含hán
hold

辛xīn
pungent

茹rú
eat

苦kǔ
bitter

母亲一个人含辛茹苦，把三个孩子都供上了大学。

Their mother bore every hardship alone and put all three children through university.

Tone: positive (praise).

茹 means “to eat”. Most often of parents, especially mothers: 含辛茹苦地把孩子拉扯大. Used in tributes, speeches and memoirs.

Learn this in Lesson 43 · HSK 5–6: 坐月子与抓周 (A baby’s first year)

A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.