激烈・劇烈|げきれつgekiretsu[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
激烈激烈 is the most common written form of this word and the form learners should choose when writing.
劇烈劇烈 is a less common written variant of 激烈. Learners may encounter it, but should generally use 激烈 instead.
Definitions
- noun, na-adjectiveviolence; vehemence; fury; fervour; fervor; severity; fierceness; keenness
Conjugation
| Plain form | 激烈（げきれつ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 激烈です（げきれつです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 激烈ではない（げきれつではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 激烈ではありません（げきれつではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 激烈だった（げきれつだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 激烈ではなかった（げきれつではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 激烈で（げきれつで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 激烈に（げきれつに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 激烈なら（げきれつなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym激しいはげしいNeutralNeutral: the everyday adjective for intense or violent, most common in speech. Native Japanese, versus written Sino-Japanese 「激烈」; often of competition and controversy.
- Synonym強烈きょうれつWrittenStrong and striking, as in 「強烈な印象」; at home in formal prose and in everyday talk alike. Stresses the impact something makes, and need not involve confrontation.
- Synonym猛烈もうれつWrittenLeans formal but is far from bookish: something arriving with tremendous force, as in 「猛烈な台風」; stresses momentum, and also serves as an adverb meaning 'very'.
- Synonym激甚げきじんWrittenWritten/formal prose, used of disasters etc. being extremely severe, as in 「激甚災害」; focuses on the degree of damage.
- Synonym凄まじいすさまじいCasualColloquial: an astonishing degree, as in 「凄まじい音」「凄まじい人気」; sometimes carries a sense of terror.
- SynonymひどいCasualColloquial: cruel or going too far, and can also indicate severity; carries a negative judgement.
- Synonym痛烈つうれつWrittenWritten/formal prose: sharp, biting words, as in 「痛烈な批判」; focuses on criticism and attack.
- Synonym凄絶せいぜつWrittenWritten/formal prose: ghastly or gruesome to the extreme, as in 「凄絶な戦い」; stresses horror and bloodshed.
- Synonym酷烈こくれつWrittenWritten/formal prose and fairly rare: harsh to the extreme; stresses severity.
- Synonym峻烈しゅんれつWrittenWritten/formal prose: stern and incisive, as in 「峻烈な批判」; stresses strictness.
- Synonym苛烈かれつWrittenWritten/formal prose: harsh and fierce, as in 「苛烈な競争」; stresses ruthlessness.
- Related甚だしいはなはだしいWrittenWritten/formal prose: extreme in degree, as in 「甚だしい誤解」; focuses on extent, not confrontation.
- Related凶暴きょうぼうWrittenWritten/formal prose: ferocious and violent, as in 「凶暴な犯人」; describes savage character or behaviour.
- RelatedむごいCasualColloquial: cruel or too horrible to watch; stresses cruelty and carries sympathy for the victim.
- Related獰猛どうもうWrittenWritten/formal prose: ferocious like a wild beast, as in 「獰猛な犬」; describes temperament.
- Related凶猛きょうもうWrittenWritten/formal prose and fairly rare: ferocious and fierce; stresses savagery.
- Antonym緩慢かんまんWrittenWritten/formal antonym: slow movement or change, or lax handling — the opposite of the swift, fierce intensity of 「激烈」.
- Antonym温和おんわWrittenWritten/formal antonym: mild — of climate, personality, or statements and measures; the opposite of 「激烈」.
- Antonym穏やかおだやかNeutralNeutral antonym: calm and peaceful, without intensity, as in 「穏やかな議論」; the opposite of 「激烈」.
Use 「激烈」 for extremely fierce competition, disputes, or change, as in 「激烈な競争」「激烈な論争」; it leans toward written style. In everyday speech say 「激しい」. Use 「猛烈」 for something that comes on with tremendous force, and 「痛烈」 for sharp criticism. The opposites are 「穏やか」 and 「温和」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
