冷酷无情

• Pinyin: lěng kù wú qíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 冷酷 (cold-hearted); 无 = 𠂉 + 灬 (without/none); 情 = 忄(heart) + 青 (clear — feeling)

Meaning

Cold-hearted and utterly heartless; pitilessly cruel. A four-character expression intensifying total merciless indifference.

Stronger than 冷酷 alone, as 无情 reinforces the complete absence of compassion or mercy. Used in literary, political, and journalistic contexts to describe behaviour that is shockingly inhumane. The phrase carries a strong moral condemnation.

Examples

1. 那位独裁者对异见人士采取冷酷无情的镇压手段。 The dictator used cold, merciless repression against dissidents.
2. 大自然有时以冷酷无情的方式考验人类的生存意志。 Nature sometimes tests humanity’s will to survive in a pitiless way.
3. 他冷酷无情的商业谈判风格令对方颇感不安。 His cold, merciless style of business negotiation made the other side uneasy.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, politics, history, critique

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 这场战争揭示了人性中冷酷无情的一面。(This war revealed the cold-hearted and pitiless side of human nature.)
• 他冷酷无情地拒绝了老友的求助，令人心寒。(He coldly and heartlessly refused his old friend's appeal for help — deeply chilling.)

Don't Say

• 在描述合理强硬立场时用冷酷无情 — 该词含强烈的负面道德批判，不宜用于中性的坚定态度

Origin & History

冷酷 (cold/ruthless) + 无情 (without mercy or feeling)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal