noun, takes する, intransitive verb

Messages.yoji.
  1. being in dire distress, being hard put to it, being hard pressed (for money).

noun

Buddhist term. Messages.yoji.
  1. the four and eight kinds of suffering (birth, old age, disease, death, parting from loved ones, meeting disliked ones, not getting what one seeks, pains of the five skandha).

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
四苦八苦 しくはっく

Contained Kanji Breakdown

four
よん シ よ (1st, N5)
box, box or enclosure radical (no. 31)
イ コク (Kentei 1)
legs radical (no. 10)
ジン ニン がい (Kentei 1)
suffering, trial, worry
ク くる.しい にが.い (3rd, N3)
grass, grass radical (no. 140)
old
コ ふる.い ふゆ (2nd, N4)
ten
ジュウ ジッ ジュッ (1st, N5)
mouth
くち コウ ク (1st, N4)
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ や はっ (1st, N5)