残酷

• Pinyin: cán kù
• Hanzi breakdown: 残 = 歹 (bad) + 戋, cruel; 酷 = 酉 (wine) + 告, cruel/harsh

Meaning

Cruel; brutal; ruthless. Describing extreme harshness or mercilessness.

An adjective describing actions, people, or situations that are severely harsh or lacking in mercy. Can describe treatment of others (残酷的对待), competitive environments (残酷的竞争), or harsh realities (残酷的现实). Often used in both literal and metaphorical senses.

Examples

1. 战争的残酷让无数家庭支离破碎。 The cruelty of war has torn countless families apart.
2. 职场竞争很残酷，不进则退。 Workplace competition is ruthless — if you don't advance, you fall behind.
3. 这个结局太残酷了，我一时无法接受。 This ending is too cruel — I can't accept it for the moment.

Usage Guide

Context: description, criticism, narrative

Tone: severe

Do Say

• 现实往往比想象的更残酷。(Reality is often more cruel than imagined.)
• 他用残酷的方式对待动物，令人愤怒。(His cruel treatment of animals is infuriating.)

Don't Say

• 不要过度使用'残酷'来形容普通困难 (Don't overuse 残酷 for ordinary difficulties — reserve it for genuinely severe situations)

Origin & History

Compound of 残 (cruel, damaged) + 酷 (cruel, harsh). Both characters relate to harshness.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal