🇨🇳Chinese Source WordCode: ZH

残酷的

Pronunciation / Transliteration: cánkù de

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Brutal/ˈbruː.təl/
adjectiveCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #1500 frequency
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🇨🇳 Example Sentence in Chinese:

"残酷的冬天让许多人无家可归。"

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Savage; cruel; harsh.

    "The brutal winter left many without shelter."
  2. 2

    Characterized by extreme violence or cruelty.

    "The documentary depicted the brutal realities of war."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Synonyms (3)
Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'brutal' originates from the Latin 'brutalis', meaning 'rough' or 'savage', which is derived from 'brutus', meaning 'heavy' or 'dull'. It entered the English language in the late 14th century, evolving to describe actions or behaviors that are cruel or savage in nature.

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