酷
cruel · severe · atrocious · unjust
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of wine and tell. Strong like wine.
Symbolism
Cruel, harsh, severe. Represents cruelty.
Component Breakdown
wine + 告
Words & Expressions
Words written with 酷
Four-Character Compounds
残忍酷薄
ざんにんこくはく
cruel; heartless; brutal
冷酷無情
れいこくむじょう
cruel and heartless; merciless; implacable
冷酷無残
れいこくむざん
cruel and heartless; merciless; implacable
残酷非道
ざんこくひどう
inhumanity; atrocity; abominable cruelty
Proverbs & Idioms
酷似は注意の証
こくじはちゅういのあかし
Strong resemblance warrants caution
Be wary of things that look too similar
Anime & Manga
残酷な神が支配する
Zankoku na Kami ga Shihai Suru
A well-known work with 酷 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 酷 mean in Japanese?
酷 means cruel, severe, atrocious, unjust.
How do you read 酷?
On'yomi: コク (KOKU). Kun'yomi: ひど.い (hidoi).
How many strokes does 酷 have?
酷 has 14 strokes. Its radical is 酉 (wine).
Is 酷 a good kanji for a tattoo?
酷 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means cruel, severe, atrocious, unjust. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.