To be unable to express one's pain or grievances; often used in the full phrase [[哑巴吃黄连，有苦说不出|啞巴吃黃連，有苦說不出|ya3 ba5 chi1 huang2 lian2 you3 ku3 shuo1 bu4 chu1]]

To be forced to suffer in silence or unable to voice one's grievances; literally, a mute person eating the bitter herb Coptis chinensis and being unable to speak about the bitterness.

A deciduous tree with compound leaves and red or purple-blue berries; its hard yellow wood is used for construction, and its seeds are used for oil.

(xiehouyu) To find joy or amusement in the midst of adversity or suffering; literally "playing a stringed instrument under a coptis tree," since the tree is famously bitter while the music is a pleasure.

to be forced to suffer in silence or keep one's grievances to oneself; literally a mute person eating bitter goldthread

An antibacterial alkaloid extracted from plants like [[黄连|黃連|huang2 lian2]], used to treat dysentery and infections; the common name for berberine.

to be forced to suffer in silence or swallow one's grievances without being able to complain; literally a mute eating bitter herbs and having no way to describe the bitterness