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dukkho

dukkha

masc nom sg of dukkha (adj)

1. uncomfortable; unpleasant
2. painful

Built from

• du — prefix · bad, hard
  Prefix expressing difficulty or wrong outcome. Related to Greek dys- and Latin dis- through Indo-European *dus-.
• kha — root · hole, space
  Root denoting an opening or cavity; in compounds, applied to movement through space. The concrete sense of cramped or difficult space underpins the abstract meaning of discomfort.

Etymology. du- (prefix 'bad, hard, gone wrong') + kha (hole, space). The compound originally meant 'bad space' or 'difficult to move in', applied to physical discomfort and generalised to existential suffering. The prefix du- derives from Indo-European *dus- (Greek dys-, Latin dis-), cognate with English dysfunction, dystopia. See dukkhatā.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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