Definition
生硬 describes something that feels stiff, unnatural, or forced — often used for writing, translation, gestures, or a blunt/harsh attitude. It differs from 僵硬 (jiāng yìng), which is physical stiffness (like a frozen joint), and from 苛刻 (kē kè), which is harsh in the sense of being overly demanding or severe (rules, conditions).
adjective
stiffunnatural (of writing, translation, style, gestures)harshblunt (of attitude, tone, manner)
Examples
- 生硬。Zhè piān fānyì dú qǐlai hěn shēng yìng.This translation reads very stiff.
- 生硬。Tā shēng yìng de tàidu ràng tóngshìmen gǎndào bù shūfu.His harsh attitude made colleagues feel uncomfortable.
- 生硬，。Tā de biǎoyǎn yǒuxiē shēng yìng, búgòu zìrán.Her performance was somewhat stiff, not natural enough.
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