苦海

kǔhǎi
  1. lit. sea of bitterness
  2. abyss of worldly suffering (Buddhist term)
  3. depths of misery

CEDICT

  1. (Buddhism or figurative) the sea of bitterness; the ocean of suffering; the abyss of misery; this (weary) world
  2. the sea of bitterness; the ocean of suffering; the abyss of misery; this (weary) world

Wiktionary

  1. 比喻痛苦的處境。
  2. 佛教用語。比喻生死輪迴的三界。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 苦 kǔ
  1. bitter
  2. hardship
  3. pain
  4. to suffer
  5. to bring suffering to
  6. painstakingly
2 海 hǎi
  1. ocean
  2. sea
  3. great number of people or things
  4. (dialect) numerous

classifiers: 個, 片

Containing this entry

脫離苦海 tuōlíkǔhǎi
  1. to escape from the abyss of suffering
  2. to shed off a wretched plight
苦海無邊，回頭是岸 kǔhǎiwúbiān,huítóushìàn
  1. The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore (idiom). Only Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering.
  2. Repent and ye shall be saved!
苦海茫茫 kǔhǎimángmáng sea of bitterness is vast (idiom)