extremity

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 窮 has 15 strokes and relates to being at an impasse or lacking room or resources.
• Basic usage: 窮屈 is read きゅうくつ, and 困窮 is read こんきゅう.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Physical or emotional constraint and hardship
  • 窮屈で歩きにくい means being too tight for comfortable walking.
  • 生活を窮屈に感じた means finding one's life confining.
  • 窮屈 can also describe feeling constrained by rules.
  • 生活に困窮していた means suffering financial hardship.