地獄|じごくjigoku[0]heiban (flat)
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- noun, Buddhismhell realm; Naraka
- noun, ChristianityHell
- nounhell; misery; nightmare; inferno
- nounplace where a volcano or hot springs constantly spew smoke or steam
- SynonymヘルNeutralLoanword for hell, mostly in titles and names; in everyday speech 「地獄」 is the normal choice.
- Synonym奈落ならくWrittenWritten/formal term for hell that also covers the very bottom or utter despair, as in 「奈落の底」; can also mean the trap room beneath a stage.
- SynonymインフェルノNeutralLoanword for a fiery, inferno-like hell or scene; mostly seen in film and game titles.
- Related生き地獄いきじごくNeutralMetaphor for suffering that makes life itself feel like hell; broader expressions such as 「受験地獄」 also exist.
- Relatedこの世の地獄NeutralSet phrase likening the horrors of this world to hell; 「地獄」 itself also names the religious hell.
- Antonym天国てんごくNeutralAntonym of 「地獄」 in the heaven-and-hell pairing; means heaven or paradise.
- Antonym極楽ごくらくNeutralBuddhist antonym of 「地獄」: the Pure Land paradise of ultimate bliss.
Use 「地獄」 for the religious hell and for figurative misery like 「通勤地獄」. For the very bottom or utter despair choose 「奈落」; for torment while alive, 「生き地獄」. Loanwords 「ヘル」 and 「インフェルノ」 appear mainly in titles. Antonyms: 「天国」, 「極楽」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


