Used when a demand, condition, treatment, judgment, or situation is harsh to the point of feeling cruel or unfair. As a noun it is more limited and often appears in formal set phrases such as 酷を極める.
That's a demand too harsh for him.
It would be harsh to say that to him right after he failed.
It is unfair to put this much work on a newcomer.
The working conditions at the time were extremely harsh.
It's harsh to tell him to do it alone.
He received harsh treatment from the company.
She met a harsh fate.
The working conditions were extremely harsh.
残酷 explicitly means cruel or brutal, especially toward people or animals, and is stronger and more direct than the milder, more general 酷.
厳しい means strict or demanding but doesn't necessarily imply cruelty or unfairness, whereas 酷 specifically conveys that a demand or treatment feels unjust or harsh.
cruel; brutal; ruthless; merciless; inhuman
severe; harsh; rigorous; cruel
cruel; coldhearted; ruthless; relentless
exploitation; overuse; abuse
severe criticism; harsh review; panning
striking resemblance; close similarity; bear a strong likeness
intense heat; severe heat; extreme heat
really terrible; awful; extremely harsh
severity; rigor; strictness
Standard kanji form for this Sino-Japanese na-adjective and noun. Do not confuse it with 酷い, read ひどい.
A Sino-Japanese word using the on-reading こく of 酷. The spelling is conventionally associated with severity, harshness, or cruelty; the precise historical development is not specified.
severe; stern; unaffected by love
atrocity; cruelty; brutality
severe punishment; harsh penalty
cruel official; harsh administrator
severe cold; bitter cold
inhuman; wicked; evil
severity; harshness; intensity
intense heat; severe heat
heavy taxation; oppressive taxes