Word

残酷 (cán kù) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 7

Meaning of 残酷

形 xíng adjective

cruel

现实有时很残酷。

xiàn shí yǒu shí hěn cán kù

Reality is sometimes cruel.

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Word breakdown

残 cán — cruel, harmful, causing injury

1 残疾 cán jí — disability HSK 6
- 残 damaged, incomplete
- 疾 condition, affliction
Example

他虽然有残疾，但仍然坚持工作。

tā suī rán yǒu cán jí dàn réng rán jiān chí gōng zuò

Although he has a disability, he still persists in working.
2 伤残 shāng cán — to be disabled/injured HSK 7
- 伤 injury, wound
- 残 disabled, impaired
Example

他在战争中伤残了。

tā zài zhàn zhēng zhōng shāng cán le

He became disabled in the war.
3 凶残 xiōng cán — brutal HSK 7
- 凶 fierce, ferocious, violent
- 残 cruel, brutal, savage
Example

那只野兽十分凶残。

nà zhī yě shòu shí fēn xiōng cán

That wild beast is very brutal.
4 摧残 cuī cán — to devastate HSK 7
- 摧 to destroy, to break down
- 残 to harm cruelly, to damage
Example

战争摧残了这个国家。

zhàn zhēng cuī cán le zhè ge guó jiā

War devastated this country.
5 残忍 cán rěn — cruel HSK 7
- 残 brutal, savage, violent aspect of cruelty
- 忍 heartless, unfeeling, able to endure causing suffering
Example

他用残忍的手段对待动物。

tā yòng cán rěn de shǒu duàn duì dài dòng wù

He treats animals with cruel methods.

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6 残留 cán liú — remain, be left behind (as residue) HSK 7
- 残 leftover, remaining (incomplete or unwanted)
- 留 stay behind, not removed
Example

农药残留在蔬菜上可能对健康有害。

nóng yào cán liú zài shū cài shàng kě néng duì jiàn kāng yǒu hài

Pesticide residues on vegetables may be harmful to health.
7 残缺 cán quē — be incomplete, be defective HSK 7
- 残 damaged, incomplete
- 缺 lacking, missing
Example

这本古书已经残缺不全了。

zhè běn gǔ shū yǐ jīng cán quē bù quán le

This ancient book is already incomplete.

酷 kù — extreme, severe, harsh

1 冷酷 lěng kù — cold and cruel HSK 7
- 冷 cold (emotionally distant, lacking warmth)
- 酷 cruel (harsh, severe, merciless)
Example

她用冷酷的眼神看着他。

tā yòng lěng kù de yǎn shén kàn zhe tā

She looked at him with cold and cruel eyes.
2 酷似 kù sì — to closely resemble HSK 7
- 酷 extremely, strikingly (intensifier)
- 似 to resemble, to be like
Example

这个孩子酷似他的父亲。

zhè ge hái zi kù sì tā de fù qīn

This child closely resembles his father.

Structure & writing

1 残 cán — defective or incomplete

残 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1.1 歹 dǎi — bad, evil

歹 is a component in 7 characters

HSK 4

列 liè to arrange; to list 死 sǐ to die; to lose life (opposite of "活"/"生")

HSK 5

殊 shū different; divergent

HSK 6

残 cán defective or incomplete 殖 zhí to reproduce; to multiply

HSK 7

歼 jiān to annihilate; to wipe out 殃 yāng disaster; calamity

1.2 戋 jiān — small, few, little in quantity

戋 is a component in 7 characters

HSK 1

钱 qián currency; money

HSK 4

线 xiàn thread; yarn made of silk, cotton, hemp, etc., used for sewing or knitting

HSK 5

浅 qiǎn shallow (opposite of 'deep') 践 jiàn to tread on; to step on

HSK 6

残 cán defective or incomplete

HSK 7

盏 zhǎn small cup 贱 jiàn cheap; low-priced (opposite of 贵)

Stroke order

2 酷 kù — cruel, brutal, savage

酷 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

2.1 酉 yǒu — tenth of the twelve Earthly Branches

酉 is a component in 19 characters

HSK 2

酒 jiǔ alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grains or fruit

HSK 4

酸 suān acid (chemistry: compound that ionizes to produce hydrogen ions, neutralizes bases, reacts with metals to produce salts and hydrogen gas) 醒 xǐng to sober up; to regain consciousness after intoxication, anesthesia, or coma

HSK 5

配 pèi to marry (of a man and woman) 醉 zuì drunk; intoxicated from excessive drinking

HSK 6

酱 jiàng fermented paste condiment made from beans or wheat (e.g. yellow bean paste, sweet bean paste) 酷 kù cruel, brutal, savage 醋 cù vinegar (sour condiment made by fermenting grains such as sorghum or rice)

HSK 7

蘸 zhàn to dip into (a liquid, powder, or paste) 酌 zhuó to pour (wine); to drink (wine) 酗 xù to act wildly drunk 酝 yùn to brew wine 酣 hān drinking to one's heart's content

Show more HSK 7 characters (+6)

酥 sū food made from the skin of curdled cow's or goat's milk; clarified butter (ancient usage) 酪 lào semi-solid or solid dairy product made from animal milk (cheese, curd, etc.) 酬 chóu remuneration; payment for labor 酵 jiào fermentation; chemical decomposition of organic substances by enzymes or fungi, used in leavening bread, brewing wine, etc.; the fungi that cause fermentation are called '酵母菌' (yeast) 酿 niàng to brew or ferment (using fermentation) 醇 chún (lit.) strong-flavored liquor

2.2 告 gào — to tell, inform, or announce something to others

告 is a component in 4 characters

HSK 5

造 zào to make; to manufacture 靠 kào to lean against; to be close to

HSK 6

酷 kù cruel, brutal, savage

HSK 7

浩 hào vast, grand, magnificent

Stroke order