Kanji 残 remainder, leftover, balance 酷 cruel, severe, atrocious 道 road-way, street, district Related words 残ざん 酷こく 残酷 is the common word for 'cruelty' or 'cruel'; 残酷非道 is a stronger, more formal yojijukugo emphasizing extreme inhumanity and atrocity.
非ひ 道どう 非道 means 'inhumanity' or 'wickedness' on its own; 残酷非道 combines it with 残酷 for a more emphatic, literary compound.
Etymology A yojijukugo combining 残酷 (cruelty) and 非道 (inhumanity, wickedness). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of pairing synonymous or complementary kanji compounds for emphasis.
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