凛りん冽れつ

り

ん

れ

つ

Meanings

na-adjective, taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle

formal or literary

Literary word describing bitterly cold weather or a piercing, severe atmosphere. Often used in written descriptions of winter scenes or harsh conditions. Can also describe a stern, intense demeanor.

凛りん冽れつたる寒かん風ぷうが吹ふき荒あれた。
A biting cold wind raged.
彼かれの凛りん冽れつとした態たい度どに、誰だれも口くちを開あけなかった。
No one dared speak in the face of his severe demeanor.

Kanji

凛cold, strict, severe
冽cold
凜cold, strict, severe
烈ardent, violent, vehement

Related words

厳きびしい
Common word for 'severe' or 'strict'; 凛冽 is more literary and specifically evokes piercing cold or an intense, dignified severity.
凛り々りしい
Means 'gallant' or 'dignified'; 凛冽 focuses on coldness or severity rather than handsomeness or bravery.

Written forms

凛りん冽れつUsage50%
Standard kanji form for this literary word.
凜りん烈れつUsage38%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form using the older 凜 variant of 凛.
凛りん烈れつUsage13%
Variant kanji form; 烈 emphasizes severity, while 冽 emphasizes coldness.

Etymology

The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 凛 means 'cold' or 'dignified', and 冽 means 'cold' or 'piercing', together forming a compound that intensifies the sense of severe cold or sternness.