無惨(むざん)

むざん
na-adjective
cruel, tragic, pitiful
writtendescriptive
1. cruel, merciless, brutal
Describes something so cruel or violent that it is painful to witness. Used for scenes of destruction, violence, or mistreatment that evoke horror or pity.
無惨(むざん)な事件(じけん)が起(お)きた。
A cruel incident occurred.
戦場(せんじょう)には無惨(むざん)な光景(こうけい)が広(ひろ)がっていた。
A brutal scene spread across the battlefield.
証拠(しょうこ)写真(しゃしん)には、無惨(むざん)に破壊(はかい)された建物(たてもの)の姿(すがた)が映(うつ)っていた。
The evidence photos showed buildings that had been cruelly destroyed.
2. tragic, pitiful, wretched
Describes a state that is pathetically ruined or degraded, evoking sorrow or sympathy. Used when something once fine has been reduced to a miserable condition.
庭(にわ)は無惨(むざん)な姿(すがた)になっていた。
The garden was in a wretched state.
台風(たいふう)の後(あと)、花壇(かだん)は無惨(むざん)に荒(あ)らされていた。
After the typhoon, the flower bed had been pitifully ravaged.
かつて美(うつく)しかった城(しろ)は戦火(せんか)で焼(や)かれ、無惨(むざん)な廃墟(はいきょ)と化(か)していた。
The once-beautiful castle had been burned by the fires of war and reduced to a pitiful ruin.

Writing

Also written 無残(むざん), the usual spelling in newspapers; 無慚(むざん) is an older, rare spelling.

Usage

Used both as a な-adjective (無惨(むざん)な姿(すがた)) and as an adverb with に (無惨(むざん)に殺(ころ)される). Often describes scenes that are too terrible or sad to look at.

Common collocations

Related Words

Synonym: 残酷(ざんこく) (cruel, merciless)
Synonym: 悲惨(ひさん) (tragic, miserable)
general
Added 2026.2.26 18:53 · Revised 2026.10.15 22:24
13500/13601_muzan