無残
むざん · muzan
Cruel, merciless, atrocious, ruthless, cold-blooded
- pitiful, tragic, horrible, miserable
- breaking a religious precept without shame
Other ways to say “cruel” in Japanese →
high first, then falls · what is pitch accent?
How it’s used
Literary or formal; used for brutal violence or tragic ruin, not for everyday selfishness.
Not to be confused with 無惨 (muzan), a rare variant.
Example sentences
戦争で無残に命を落とした。
They died a cruel death in the war.
Nihoner
無残な姿の建物を見た。
I saw the building in a pitiful state.
Nihoner
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Questions
What does 無残 mean?
Cruel, merciless, atrocious, ruthless, cold-blooded. It can also mean: pitiful, tragic, horrible, miserable; breaking a religious precept without shame.
How do you pronounce 無残?
むざん (muzan). Pitch accent: atamadaka — high first, then falls. Press Listen above to hear it.
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