過 酷(かこく)

かこく

na-adjective

harsh, severe

descriptive

1. harsh, severe, grueling, brutal

Extremely difficult, demanding, or unforgiving, whether describing conditions, treatment, or circumstances.

過酷(かこく)な環境(かんきょう)で働(はたら)く。

To work in a harsh environment.

砂漠(さばく)での訓練(くんれん)は過酷(かこく)を極(きわ)めた。

The training in the desert was extremely grueling.

過酷(かこく)な労働(ろうどう)条件(じょうけん)の改善(かいぜん)を求(もと)める声(こえ)が高(たか)まっている。

Calls for improvement of harsh working conditions are growing.

Etymology

過(か) (excessive) + 酷(こく) (cruel, harsh) = excessively harsh.

Common collocations

過酷(かこく)な環境(かんきょう): harsh environment
過酷(かこく)な労働(ろうどう): grueling labor
過酷(かこく)な訓練(くんれん): harsh training
過酷(かこく)な運命(うんめい): cruel fate
過酷(かこく)を極(きわ)める: to be extremely harsh

Similar words

厳(きび)しい is a more general word for "strict/severe" that applies to a wider range of situations. 過酷(かこく) is stronger: conditions so harsh they push people past their limits, typical of news and written reports.

Writing

Also written 苛酷(かこく), with the same meaning.

Related Words

Synonym: 厳(きび)しい (general severity)

Synonym: 残酷(ざんこく) (cruel, focuses on cruelty)

Compare: 苛烈(かれつ) (fierce)

general

Added 2026.2.11 18:22 · Revised 2026.10.12 9:23

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