also: しゅらじょう
scene of carnage; fighting scene; battlefield
Describes a place of intense physical conflict, bloodshed, or chaos. Often used figuratively for any extremely chaotic or violent situation.
The accident site was truly a scene of carnage.
The battlefield turned into a scene of bloodshed.
mythological battlefield of Asuras and Shakra
Only with reading しゅらじょう
Buddhist mythological reference to the location where the Asuras (阿修羅) fought against Shakra (帝釈天). Rare, literary, and only used with the reading しゅらじょう.
See also: 阿修羅 (あしゅら) · 帝釈天 (たいしゃくてん)
In Buddhist tales, the shurajō is said to be the place of battle between the Asuras and Shakra.
romantic difficulties; love triangle drama
Only with reading しゅらば
Colloquial use referring to messy, emotionally charged situations in romantic relationships, such as love triangles or confrontations between rivals.
His cheating was exposed and it turned into a huge romantic drama.
crunch time; deadline hell
Only with reading しゅらば
Colloquial, especially among cartoonists and creators, for the intense, chaotic period just before a deadline when work is frantic.
Manga artists have no time to sleep during the crunch time before deadlines.
He's a veteran detective who has been through countless harrowing crises.
An ex suddenly showed up, and the party turned into a chaotic scene.
The two women ran into each other and made a huge dramatic scene.
The manga artist hits crunch time before every deadline.
戦場 is a literal military battlefield, while 修羅場 emphasizes the intense chaos and bloodshed of a scene and is often used figuratively.
惨劇 refers to a specific tragic, violent incident, whereas 修羅場 refers more broadly to the chaotic scene or place where such conflict unfolds.
三角関係 names the romantic-triangle relationship itself, while 修羅場 describes the chaotic, emotionally charged confrontation that results from it.
修羅 is a shortened, less specific term that can mean either the Asura realm or a scene of carnage, while 修羅場 specifically denotes the place or situation of that carnage.
阿修羅 refers to the mythological Asura beings themselves, whereas 修羅場 refers to the battlefield or chaotic scene associated with them.
descend into mayhem; turn into a battlefield
Standard kanji spelling; the reading しゅらば is the modern common reading.
Obsolete reading used only for the Buddhist mythological sense.
From Buddhist mythology: 修羅 (shura, abbreviation of 阿修羅 ashura 'Asura') + 場 (ba/jō 'place'). Originally referred to the battlefield of the Asuras; modern figurative uses extend the idea of chaos and conflict.