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惨烈 (さんれつ, sanretsu) Japanese meaning: horrible | Kotomora
じ 字 Furigana
Kanji 惨 wretched, disaster, cruelty 烈 ardent, violent, vehement Related words 悲ひ 惨さん 悲惨 is the common word for 'miserable' or 'tragic', used in everyday contexts. 惨烈 is much rarer and carries a stronger nuance of cruelty and atrocity.
残ざん 酷こく 残酷 is the standard word for 'cruel' or 'brutal'. 惨烈 is more literary and emphasizes the horrific result rather than the cruel intent.
Etymology Compound of 惨 (miserable, wretched) and 烈 (violent, intense). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with extreme cruelty or horror.
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The novel depicts the atrocious reality of war.
News of the horrific incident shocked the world.