कठिन (kathin)

adjective A common adjective meaning 'difficult, hard, tough' -- used for tasks, situations, exams, and questions. Close in meaning to मुश्किल (mushkil) but slightly more formal/bookish in feel.

Sense 1 : difficult, hard (of a task, situation, question)

adjective

Synonyms: मुश्किल (mushkil), दुष्कर (dushkar, literary), कष्टसाध्य (kashtsaadhy, rare)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You will meet कठिन (kathin) constantly in the school and exam world -- teachers and textbooks love saying यह प्रश्न कठिन है (yah prashn kathin hai, 'this question is difficult'). In daily bazaar chatter, though, people often reach for मुश्किल (mushkil) instead, so knowing both gives you the right register for the right room.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for मुश्किल (mushkil) as the default word and forget कठिन (kathin) exists -- both are correct and interchangeable in most everyday contexts, so don't overthink the choice. 2) कठिन (kathin) sounds a touch more formal or written than मुश्किल (mushkil), so in casual chit-chat about a rough day, मुश्किल (mushkil) or मुश्किल-सा (mushkil-saa) may feel more natural, while कठिन (kathin) fits school, exams, and writing.

Sample Sentences:

यह प्रश्न बहुत कठिन है। This question is very difficult.

(yah prashn bahut kathin hai।)

गणित की परीक्षा इस बार बहुत कठिन थी। The math exam was very difficult this time.

(ganit kii pariikshaa is baar bahut kathin thii।)

अगले साल का पाठ्यक्रम और भी कठिन होगा। Next year's syllabus will be even more difficult.

(agle saal kaa paathyakram aur bhii kathin hogaa।)

अगर सवाल इतना कठिन न होता, तो सब पास हो जाते। If the question hadn't been so difficult, everyone would have passed.

(agar savaal itnaa kathin n hotaa, to sab paas ho jaate।)

शिक्षक हमेशा कहते हैं कि यह अध्याय कठिन है, पर ध्यान से पढ़ो तो समझ आ जाता है। Teachers always say this chapter is difficult, but if you read carefully it becomes understandable.

(shikshak hameshaa kahte hain ki yah adhyaay kathin hai, par dhyaan se padho to samajh aa jaataa hai।)

मुझे नहीं लगता कि यह काम इतना कठिन होगा। I don't think this task will be that difficult.

(mujhe nahiin lagtaa ki yah kaam itnaa kathin hogaa।)

परीक्षा में कठिन प्रश्न पूछे गए। Difficult questions were asked in the exam.

(pariikshaa men kathin prashn poochhe gae।)

उम्मीदवारों के सामने एक कठिन परीक्षा प्रस्तुत की जाती है। A difficult test is presented before the candidates.

(ummiidvaaron ke saamne ek kathin pariikshaa prastut kii jaatii hai।)

यह प्रश्न कठिन है, इसलिए ध्यान से सोचकर उत्तर दीजिए। This question is difficult, so think carefully and answer.

(yah prashn kathin hai, islie dhyaan se sochkar uttar diijie।)

काश यह अध्याय इतना कठिन न होता। I wish this chapter weren't so difficult.

(kaash yah adhyaay itnaa kathin n hotaa।)

जीवन में सफलता का मार्ग सदा कठिन रहा है। The path to success in life has always been difficult.

(jiivan men saphaltaa kaa maarg sadaa kathin rahaa hai।)

Sense 2 : harsh, severe, stern (of a person's nature or a strict rule)

adjective

Synonyms: सख़्त (sakht), कठोर (kathor)

Frequency: low

Cultural Note: This sense overlaps closely with कठोर (kathor), which shares the same root idea of 'hardness' extended to character or discipline -- a कठिन अनुशासन (kathin anushaasan, 'strict discipline') describes a regime as unyielding, not just difficult to complete.

Sample Sentences:

मेरे पिताजी बहुत कठिन स्वभाव के इंसान थे। My father was a man of very harsh temperament.

(mere pitaajii bahut kathin svabhaav ke insaan the।)

उस स्कूल में अनुशासन बहुत कठिन है। The discipline at that school is very strict.

(us skool men anushaasan bahut kathin hai।)

गुरुजी अपने शिष्यों के साथ कठिन नियम लागू करते थे। The teacher used to enforce harsh rules with his disciples.

(gurujii apne shishyon ke saath kathin niyam laagoo karte the।)

अगर तुम इतने कठिन बने रहोगे, तो कोई तुमसे बात नहीं करेगा। If you keep being this harsh, no one will talk to you.

(agar tum itne kathin bane rahoge, to koii tumse baat nahiin karegaa।)

इतने कठिन मत बनो, बच्चों को थोड़ी छूट भी दो। Don't be so harsh, give the children some leeway too.

(itne kathin mat bano, bachchon ko thodii chhoot bhii do।)

यदि नियम इतने कठिन न होते, तो शायद अधिक लोग सेना में भर्ती होते। If the rules weren't so harsh, perhaps more people would join the army.

(yadi niyam itne kathin n hote, to shaayad adhik log senaa men bhartii hote।)

उसकी कठिन प्रकृति के कारण कोई भी उसके पास ज्यादा देर नहीं ठहरता। Because of his harsh nature, no one stays near him for long.

(uskii kathin prakriti ke kaaran koii bhii uske paas jyaadaa der nahiin thahartaa।)

उस कठिन अनुशासन के तहत सैनिकों को हर सुबह चार बजे उठना पड़ता था। Under that strict discipline, the soldiers had to wake up at four every morning.

(us kathin anushaasan ke tahat sainikon ko har subah chaar baje uthnaa padtaa thaa।)

क्या तुम्हें नहीं लगता कि आजकल के नियम पहले से कम कठिन हो गए हैं? Don't you think today's rules have become less harsh than before?

(kyaa tumhen nahiin lagtaa ki aajkal ke niyam pahle se kam kathin ho gae hain?)

Morphology

Adjective (invariant)

invariant: कठिन (kathin)