無情(むじょう)

むじょう
na-adjective, noun
heartless; merciless; cold
emotiondescriptive
See also: 無常(むじょう) (impermanence)
1. heartless; merciless; cold; ruthless
Lacking compassion or sympathy. Describes people, actions, or situations that show no warmth or consideration for others' feelings.
無情(むじょう)な仕打(しう)ちだ。
That's heartless treatment.
彼(かれ)は無情(むじょう)にも申(もう)し出(で)を断(ことわ)った。
He mercilessly rejected the offer.
無情(むじょう)な雨(あめ)が降(ふ)り続(つづ)き、被災地(ひさいち)の人々(ひとびと)はさらに苦(くる)しんだ。
The merciless rain continued to fall, causing further suffering for the disaster victims.

Usage

Can describe people, actions, or even nature (rain, wind) that shows no mercy. Often used in literary and dramatic contexts. The adverbial form 無情(むじょう)にも (mercilessly) is common.

Common collocations

  • 無情(むじょう)な仕打(しう)ち (heartless treatment)
  • 無情(むじょう)にも (mercilessly; used as an adverb)
  • 無情(むじょう)な現実(げんじつ) (heartless reality)

Similar words

  • 冷酷(れいこく): cruel, cold-blooded — stronger, implies deliberate cruelty
  • 薄情(はくじょう): unfeeling, ungrateful — focuses on lack of emotional attachment
  • 無常(むじょう): impermanence — a Buddhist concept about transience, NOT the same word despite identical reading

Related Words

Synonym: 冷酷(れいこく) (cruel (stronger, deliberate))
general
Added 2026.3.15 18:51 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
17000/17075_mujou