cruel and heartless; merciless; cold-blooded
Yojijukugo describing a person or action that is utterly ruthless, without any compassion or remorse. Often used in literary or emphatic contexts.
Everyone was speechless at his cruel and heartless treatment.
冷酷無残な決断を下さなければならない時もある。
There are times when you have to make a merciless decision.
Most common kanji spelling for this yojijukugo.
Variant spelling using 惨 (cruelty/misery).
Rare variant using 慚 (shame).
Rare variant using 慙 (shame).
A yojijukugo combining 冷酷 (cold-hearted cruelty) and 無残 (mercilessness). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it follows the typical pattern of intensifying compounds in classical Chinese-derived idioms.