extremely cold; biting cold
Rare literary word describing intense cold, often used in classical or poetic contexts. Not used in everyday conversation; modern equivalents include 極寒 (ごっかん) or 非常に寒い.
The biting cold pierces the body.
冽々 is an old word for severe cold.
Alternate spelling without the repetition mark; equally rare.
Reduplication of 冽 (cold, freezing), a kanji of uncertain origin but associated with coldness. The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the word is a rare literary coinage.