修羅場
also: しゅらじょう
Meanings
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.
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉が修羅場をくぐるfor someone to go through a harrowing, chaotic ordeal
He's a veteran detective who has been through countless harrowing crises.
- 〈場所〉が修羅場になるfor a place or situation to turn into chaotic, dramatic confrontation
An ex suddenly showed up, and the party turned into a chaotic scene.
- 〈人〉が修羅場を演じるfor someone to cause a dramatic, chaotic confrontation (often romantic)
The two women ran into each other and made a huge dramatic scene.
- 修羅場を迎えるto enter a period of intense deadline-driven crunch
The manga artist hits crunch time before every deadline.