stinging words; barbed remarks; harsh language
Describes speech that is intentionally hurtful, sarcastic, or critical, often implying hidden malice.
She criticized him with stinging words.
During the meeting, everyone fell silent at the boss's barbed remarks.
皮肉 is sarcasm or irony, often more indirect and witty, while 刺のある言葉 emphasizes the hurtful, sharp quality of the words themselves.
毒舌 refers to a sharp tongue or vitriolic speech, often as a personality trait, whereas 刺のある言葉 can be a single instance of cutting remarks.
Standard kanji spelling for this expression.
Variant spelling using 有る for ある; less common but still encountered.
Literally 'words with thorns', a metaphorical expression where 刺 (thorn) represents the sharp, hurtful nature of the speech.