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残忍 (ざんにん, zannin) Japanese meaning: brutal | Kotomora

残ざん忍にん

ざ

ん

に

ん

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

brutal; cruel; merciless; ruthless

Describes actions, people, or methods that are harsh, pitiless, and lacking compassion. Often used for violent acts or severe treatment.

彼かれの残ざん忍にんな行こう為いは許ゆるせない。

His brutal act is unforgivable.

その事じ件けんはあまりにも残ざん忍にんだった。

The incident was too cruel.

Usage patterns

残ざん忍にんな〈事こと〉a brutal incident/act
残ざん忍にんな事じ件けんが全ぜん国こくに衝しょう撃げきを与あたえた。
The brutal incident shocked the entire nation.
〈人ひと〉を残ざん忍にんに殺ころすto kill someone in a brutal manner
犯はん人にんは被ひ害がい者しゃを残ざん忍にんに殺さつ害がいした。
The perpetrator brutally killed the victim.
残ざん忍にんな性せい格かくa cruel, merciless personality
彼かれは残ざん忍にんな性せい格かくで知しられている。
He is known for his cruel, merciless personality.

Kanji

残remainder, leftover, balance
忍endure, bear, put up with
惨wretched, disaster, cruelty

Related words· 8

残ざん酷こくN1
残酷 is the more common, general word for 'cruel' or 'heartless', while 残忍 stresses a cold, calculated brutality.
非ひ情じょう
非情 highlights a lack of emotion or compassion, whereas 残忍 implies active, violent cruelty.
冷れい酷こくN1
冷酷 describes a cold, unfeeling harshness in character or judgment, while 残忍 focuses on brutal, often violent acts.
無む慈じ悲ひ
無慈悲 means 'merciless' in the sense of showing no pity, whereas 残忍 adds a stronger sense of deliberate brutality.

Show 4 more

凶きょう悪あく
残忍 highlights physical cruelty and savagery, while 凶悪 covers a wider range of evil acts, including calculated or cunning crimes.
凶きょう暴ぼう
残忍 stresses cold-hearted cruelty, while 凶暴 stresses wild, uncontrolled violence.
無む残ざんN1
残忍 describes a person's inherently brutal, sadistic nature, while 無残 focuses on the merciless harshness of an act or its result.
極ごく悪あく
残忍 focuses on cruelty and lack of mercy in an action, whereas 極悪 describes overall wicked character.

Word family

残ざん忍にん性せい
brutality; cruelty; ferocity
残ざん忍にん冷れい酷こく
atrocious and cold-blooded; cruel; brutal; merciless
残ざん忍にん酷こく薄はく
cruel; heartless; brutal; atrocious
残ざん忍にん非ひ情

Written forms

残ざん忍にんUsage97%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency in news and general use.
惨ざん忍にんUsage3%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

Compound of 残 (cruel, harsh) and 忍 (endure, stealthy), suggesting a harshness that disregards suffering. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.

じょう

utterly callous; atrociously brutal; cruel and inhuman

残ざん忍にん非ひ道どう

cruel and inhuman; brutal; merciless