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峻酷 (しゅんこく, shunkoku) Japanese meaning: severe | Kotomora

峻しゅん酷こく

Meanings

1

severe; stern; unaffected by love

Describes a personality that is harsh, strict, and emotionally cold; often used in literary or formal contexts.

彼かれの峻しゅん酷こくな態たい度どに、部ぶ下かたちは萎い縮しゅくしていた。
His stern attitude made his subordinates shrink back.
歴れき史し書しょには、その王おうの峻しゅん酷こくな統とう治ちが記しるされている。
The history book records that king's severe rule.

Kanji

峻high, steep
酷cruel, severe, atrocious
刻engrave, cut fine, chop

Related words

厳きびしい
Common word for 'strict, severe'; 峻酷 is more literary and emphasizes coldness or lack of compassion.
冷れい酷こく
Means 'cold-hearted, cruel'; 峻酷 focuses more on severity and sternness rather than outright cruelty.

Written forms

峻しゅん酷こく
Standard kanji form; 峻 means 'steep, severe' and 酷 means 'cruel, harsh'.
峻しゅん刻こく
Variant using 刻 (carve, severe); less common but attested.

Etymology

Composed of 峻 (steep, severe) and 酷 (cruel, harsh). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with a severe and unfeeling personality.