残酷无情 (cán kù wú qíng) — ruthless and merciless; cruel and heartless

Definition

A four-character idiom meaning 'ruthless and merciless,' combining 残酷 (cruel) with 无情 (heartless) for stronger force than either alone. Used to describe people, actions, or events like war — never as a light compliment.

idiom
ruthless and mercilesscruel and heartless

Examples

  • 残酷无情。
    Dí rén cán kù wú qíng dì shā hài le xǔ duō wú gū de rén.
    The enemy ruthlessly killed many innocent people.
  • 残酷无情，。
    Tā duì dài jìng zhēng duì shǒu cán kù wú qíng, háo bù shǒu ruǎn.
    He treats his competitors ruthlessly, without mercy.
  • 残酷无情。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō jiē lù le zhàn zhēng de cán kù wú qíng.
    This novel exposes the ruthlessness of war.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 殘; 残 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
歹歹dǎivicious, bones
Sound part声符shēngfú
戔
戔jiān殘cán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 殘 pairs 歹, a bone shape for injury, with 戔 for its sound; the simplified 残 is a later shorthand.

Open 残 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
酉酉yǒualcoholic drink vessel
Sound part声符shēngfú
告
告gào酷kù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酷 pairs 酉, an alcoholic drink vessel, with 告, which gives the sound.

Open 酷 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →

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