How to say "hurtful" in Japanese

• 痛ましいいたましいCommon
  i-adjectiveDescribes events or scenes that are heartbreaking or pitiful to witness or hear about; the sorrow belongs to the observer. It is seldom the word you want for a hurtful remark that wounds someone.
  その痛いたましいエピソードは私には痛切つうせつに感かんじられた。↗

  The touching episode came home to me.
• 毒のあるどくのある
  expression, prenominal modifierLiterally 'having poison': malicious, spiteful words or talk that wound the person they are aimed at. This is the word for a hurtful remark, though it is the less common of the two.

For hurtful words or remarks that wound someone, 「毒のある」 is the word to reach for; 「痛ましい」 describes heartbreaking, pitiful events or scenes that pain the witness, not wounding speech.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 痛ましいいたましいpitiful
• 毒のあるどくのあるmalicious