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深刻 (しんこく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N3 Freq. Frequency Top 5,000 Meanings 1
na-adjective, noun
serious ; severe ; grave ; acute
Used for problems, damage, illness, shortages, situations, or expressions that are not light or trivial. Often carries a negative sense of seriousness or severity.
被ひ 害がい は 予よ 想そう 以い 上じょう に 深しん 刻こく だっ た 。
The damage was more severe than expected.
Kanji 深 deep, heighten, intensify Similar words 重じゅう 大だい Also means serious or important, but emphasizes importance and consequences; 深刻 more strongly suggests a grave or worsening negative situation.
切せつ 実じつ Means urgent, pressing, or deeply felt; 深刻 describes the severity or gravity of a problem itself.
深しん 刻こく 化か A related noun meaning the process of becoming more serious or severe, as in 問題が深刻化する.
Etymology A Sino-Japanese compound written with 深, associated with depth, and 刻, associated with carving or intensity. The spelling conventionally conveys a sense of deep or acute seriousness; the exact historical development is not specified.