bitter, suffer

苦 is composed of 艸 (grass) and 古 (ancient). 艸 is a pictograph of two plants, signifying vegetables, while 古 refers to the past. Thus, 苦 conveys the idea of aged vegetables. When vegetables grow old, they become unpalatable, so 苦 not only means suffering but also refers to a bitter, unpleasant taste resembling bile.