かん
艱
なん
難
なんじ
汝
　
を
たま
玉
　
に
　
す

expression, す verb - precursor to the modern する

Proverb.
  1. hardship makes the man.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
かん
艱
なん
難
なんじ
汝
　
を
たま
玉
　
に
　
す
 艱難汝を玉にす かんなんなんじをたまにす

Contained Kanji Breakdown

difficult, trying, be distressed
カン　ケン　なや.む (Kentei 1)
the violet(菫) variant
grass, grass radical (no. 140)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
husband, man
フ　おっと　フウ (4th, N3)
large, big
ダイ　おお-　た (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
northeast (Oriental zodiac), stopping, good radical (no. 138)
うしとら　コン (Kentei Pre-1)
day, sun, Japan
ひ　にっ　ニチ (1st, N5)
garment, clothes, dressing
イ　ころも　きぬ (4th, N2)
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
garment(衣) variant
difficult, impossible, trouble
ナン　むずか.しい　かた.い (6th, N3)
the violet(菫) variant
grass, grass radical (no. 140)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
husband, man
フ　おっと　フウ (4th, N3)
large, big
ダイ　おお-　た (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
bird, old bird radical (no. 172)
サイ　スイ　とり (Kentei 1)
human radical (no. 9)
lord, chief, master
シュ　あるじ　ぬし (3rd, N4)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
king, rule, magnate
オウ　-ノウ　おお (1st, N3)
you, thou
なんじ　うぬ　ジョ (Kentei Pre-1)
water, water radical (no. 85)
さんずい
woman, female
ジョ　おんな　め (1st, N5)
jewel, ball
たま　ギョク　おう (1st, N2)
king, rule, magnate
オウ　-ノウ　おお (1st, N3)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)