Translation guide
The quality of being emotionally cold, unfeeling, or lacking compassion. In Japanese, this is expressed through adjectives, nouns, and descriptive phrases that emphasize a lack of warmth or empathy.
Describing a person who is emotionally cold, unfeeling, or indifferent to others' suffering.
The most common and versatile adjective for 'cold' in personality. Can describe a cold attitude, look, or treatment.
彼は冷たい人だ。
He is a coldhearted person.
彼女の冷たい態度に傷ついた。
I was hurt by her cold attitude.
Means 'cruel' or 'ruthless', emphasizing a lack of mercy. Stronger than 冷たい.
彼の冷酷な決断に皆が驚いた。
Everyone was shocked by his coldhearted decision.
Literally 'thin emotions', meaning insensitive or unfeeling. Often used for someone who lacks loyalty or compassion.
薄情な友達だと思った。
I thought he was a coldhearted friend.
Means 'heartless' or 'pitiless'. Often used in literary or dramatic contexts.
無情な仕打ちに耐えられなかった。
I couldn't bear the coldhearted treatment.
Describing a state of being emotionally cold, not showing warmth or affection.
Literally 'heart is cold'. A natural way to say someone is coldhearted.
あの人は心が冷たい。
That person is coldhearted.
Idiom meaning 'having neither blood nor tears', i.e., completely heartless.
彼は血も涙もない人間だ。
He is a coldhearted person (without any compassion).
Literally 'cold-blooded'. Can be used metaphorically for a coldhearted person, but also used in biology.
Describing actions or behavior that show a lack of warmth or compassion.
To treat someone coldly. The adverbial form of 冷たい plus する.
彼は急に私に冷たくした。
He suddenly became coldhearted toward me.
To take a cold attitude. A more explicit way to describe coldhearted behavior.
彼女はいつも冷たい態度をとる。
She always acts coldhearted.
冷たい is the most general and can be used in everyday conversation. 冷酷 implies cruelty and is stronger. 薄情 suggests a lack of human warmth or loyalty, often used in personal relationships.
冷たい人だけど、冷酷ではない。
He's a cold person, but not cruel.
薄情な恋人
a coldhearted lover
There is no single noun that perfectly matches 'coldheartedness'. Use adjectives or descriptive phrases instead. The noun 冷酷さ (れいこくさ) exists but is less common and sounds abstract.
冷血な殺人者
a coldhearted murderer