| 1 | 坎坷 | 坎坷 | kǎn kě | kan3 ke3 | bumpy (of a road); rough (of life); to be down on one's luck; to be full of frustrations and dashed hopes | | |
| 2 | 坎坷不平 | 坎坷不平 | kǎn kě bù píng | kan3 ke3 bu4 ping2 | potholed and bumpy road (idiom); fig. full of disappointment and dashed hopes | | |
| 3 | 坎坷不遇 | 坎坷不遇 | kǎn kě bù yù | kan3 ke3 bu4 yu4 | to have met with many difficulties but few opportunities (idiom) | | |
| 4 | 坎坷多舛 | 坎坷多舛 | kǎn kě duō chuǎn | kan3 ke3 duo1 chuan3 | full of trouble and misfortune (usu. referring to someone's life) | | |
| 5 | 坷 | 坷 | kě | ke3 | uneven (path); unfortunate (in life) | | |
| 6 | 命途坎坷 | 命途坎坷 | mìng tú kǎn kě | ming4 tu2 kan3 ke3 | to have a tough life; to meet much adversity in one's life | | |
| 7 | 世途坎坷 | 世途坎坷 | shì tú kǎn kě | shi4 tu2 kan3 ke3 | life full of frustrations (idiom) | | |