Kanji 過 overdo, exceed, go beyond 酷 cruel, severe, atrocious 故 happenstance, especially, intentionally 苛 torment, scold, chastise Related words 重じゅう 大だい 事じ 故こ 重大事故 is a broader term for 'major accident' and is not specifically tied to nuclear contexts. 過酷事故 implies an extreme level of severity, often with catastrophic consequences.
原げん 発ぱつ 事じ 故こ 原発事故 specifically means 'nuclear power plant accident'. 過酷事故 is a more technical term that can apply to any facility with potential for severe consequences, but is strongly associated with nuclear incidents.
Written forms 過か 酷こく 事じ 故こ
Standard kanji spelling using 過酷 (severe/harsh) + 事故 (accident).
苛か 酷こく 事じ 故こ
Variant spelling using 苛酷 , which also means severe/harsh. Less common than 過酷事故 .
Etymology Compound of 過酷 (severe, harsh) and 事故 (accident). The term gained prominence after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011, becoming a standard phrase in nuclear safety discourse.
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