過酷・苛酷|かこくkakoku[0]heiban (flat)

1. na-adjective, nounsevere; harsh; hard; cruel; rigorous
   降伏こうふく条件じょうけんは過酷かこくだった。↗

   The surrender terms were harsh.

• Synonym厳しいきびしいNeutralThe everyday adjective for severe or strict, with the widest range of use of all; 「過酷」 is narrower, for harshness beyond what can be borne.
• Synonym酷こくNeutralSuggests harshness too much to bear, as in 「それは酷だ」「酷な現実」; common in speech too. 「過酷」 mostly describes conditions or circumstances.
• Synonym手厳しいてきびしいNeutralDescribes criticism or treatment that is merciless; 「過酷」 instead stresses harshness carried past normal limits.
• Synonym酷烈こくれつWrittenWritten word for extreme severity, as in 「酷烈な暑さ」; rarer than 「過酷」, which is the usual choice.
• SynonymこっぴどいCasualColloquial word for doing something severely or soundly, as in 「こっぴどく叱る」; used mostly of scolding.
• Related残酷ざんこくNeutralCruel and heartless, as in 「残酷な現実」; stresses cold-heartedness, while 「過酷」 stresses conditions harsher than one can bear.
• RelatedひどいNeutralSame word as 惨い above (spelled 酷い here): cruel, too horrible to watch; 「過酷」 stresses excessive harshness instead.
• Related無情むじょうWrittenWritten word for heartlessness, stressing the absence of feeling; 「過酷」 is about harsh conditions, not cold hearts.
• Related凶悪きょうあくWrittenWritten word for vicious and brutal, said chiefly of criminals and their crimes; 「過酷」 describes harsh conditions or fates.
• Related無残むざんWrittenWritten word for a pitiful, gruesome state, as in 「見るも無残」; stresses the heartbreaking sight rather than harsh conditions.
• Related残忍ざんにんNeutralCruel, said of character and behavior; 「過酷」 instead stresses harshness pushed past what people can endure.
• RelatedいかめしいWrittenWritten word for stern, grave and imposing, forbidding to approach; it conveys dignity rather than the harshness of 「過酷」.
• RelatedむごいNeutralCruel, or too horrible to watch; it dwells on brutality and pitiful sights, while 「過酷」 puts the weight on harshness pushed beyond what people can endure.
• Related無慈悲むじひWrittenWritten word for merciless, stressing the absence of compassion; 「過酷」 describes harsh conditions rather than a pitiless heart.
• Related手ひどいてひどいNeutralHarsh in method, landing a heavy blow, as in 「手ひどい失敗」; stresses the damage done rather than unbearable conditions.
• RelatedむごたらしいWrittenWritten word for atrocious, too horrible to watch; stresses the gruesome scene itself rather than harsh conditions.
• Related非人道的ひじんどうてきWrittenWritten word for inhumane, stressing violation of humanitarian principles; 「過酷」 simply means harsh beyond endurance.
• Antonym穏やかおだやかNeutralAntonym: calm and mild, the opposite of the harshness of 「過酷」.
• Antonym甘いあまいNeutralAntonym: lax and lenient, the opposite of the strict harshness of 「過酷」.
• Antonym優しいやさしいNeutralAntonym: gentle and considerate, the opposite of 「過酷」.

Use 「過酷」 for conditions, circumstances or fates that are harsh beyond what can be borne, as in 「過酷な労働」「過酷な運命」. For severity in general pick 「厳しい」; for cruelty pick 「残酷」 or 「惨い」. The written alternatives each stress a different angle — mercilessness (「無慈悲」), heartlessness (「無情」), gruesome scenes (「惨たらしい」「無残」), vicious crimes (「凶悪」) — while 「酷」 and colloquial 「こっ酷い」 serve in speech. The opposites are 「穏やか」, 「甘い」 and 「優しい」.

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

1. きびしすぎること。むごすぎること。またそのさま。
2. 性交せいこうや手淫しゅいんなどを指さす隠語いんご。