凶きょう暴ぼう

きょ

う

ぼ

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Describes violent, cruel, or wildly aggressive behavior, often of people, animals, or acts. Can also modify abstract nouns like 性格 or 事件.

その犬いぬは凶きょう暴ぼうで、近ちかづくのは危き険けんだ。
That dog is ferocious; it's dangerous to go near it.
彼かれは凶きょう暴ぼうな性せい格かくで、すぐに暴ぼう力りょくを振ふるう。
He has a brutal nature and quickly resorts to violence.

See all 9 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと・動どう物ぶつ〉が凶きょう暴ぼうになるfor someone/something to become ferocious/violent
そのクマは飢うえて凶きょう暴ぼうになった。
The bear became ferocious from hunger.
凶きょう暴ぼうな〈動どう物ぶつ〉a ferocious animal
凶きょう暴ぼうな犬いぬに襲おそわれた。
I was attacked by a ferocious dog.
凶きょう暴ぼうな性せい格かくa ferocious/violent personality
彼かれは見みかけによらず凶きょう暴ぼうな性せい格かくをしている。
Despite his appearance, he has a ferocious personality.
凶きょう暴ぼう性せいを持もつ〈人ひと〉to have a violent/brutal nature
彼かれは凶きょう暴ぼう性せいを持もつ人じん物ぶつとして知しられている。
He is known as a person with a violent nature.

Kanji

凶villain, evil, bad luck
暴outburst, rave, fret
兇wickedness

Related words

残ざん忍にん
残忍 stresses cold-hearted cruelty, while 凶暴 stresses wild, uncontrolled violence.
乱らん暴ぼうN3
乱暴 is the everyday word for rough or violent behavior, whereas 凶暴 is stronger and implies real danger or brutality.
野や蛮ばんN1
野蛮 describes uncivilized, barbaric behavior or culture, while 凶暴 specifically describes violent ferocity.
荒あら々あらしいN1
荒々しい describes rough, harsh manner or tone, while 凶暴 describes actual violent, dangerous ferocity.
粗そ暴ぼう
凶暴 describes extreme, brutal ferocity (often of criminals or dangerous animals), while 粗暴 describes a milder, coarse roughness in a person's behavior.

Opposites

穏おだやかN3
穏やか describes calm, gentle behavior, the opposite of the violent ferocity described by 凶暴.

Don't confuse with

狂きょう暴ぼう
狂暴 and 凶暴 are pronounced identically and nearly identical in meaning, but 凶暴 more strongly implies deliberate brutality while 狂暴 leans toward frenzied fury.
凶きょう悪あく
凶暴 describes ferocious, violent behavior (e.g. a wild animal or temper), while 凶悪 describes the moral atrocity of a crime or criminal.

Written forms

凶きょう暴ぼうUsage94%
Standard kanji spelling; used in news and everyday writing.
兇きょう暴ぼうUsage6%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 凶 is the modern standard.

Etymology

Compound of 凶 (bad, evil, disaster) and 暴 (violent, outburst). The spelling 兇暴 uses the older form 兇, which carries a similar meaning of 'wicked' or 'ominous', but is now rare.