艱苦樸素 jiān kǔ pǔ sù

DEFINITIONS

  1. leading a plain, hardworking life (idiom)

CHARACTERS

艱 jiān difficult, hard; distressing
苦 kǔ
HSK 4
bitter; hardship, suffering
樸 pǔ simple, honest; plain; rough
素 sù
HSK 5
white (silk); plain; vegetarian; formerly; normally