lěngkù: 冷酷 - Cruel, Cold-hearted, Unfeeling

• Keywords: lěngkù, 冷酷, cold-hearted in Chinese, cruel in Chinese, unfeeling, ruthless, Chinese adjective for cruel, how to say ruthless in Chinese, lěngdàn vs lěngkù, HSK 5 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 冷酷 (lěngkù), a powerful Chinese adjective used to describe someone who is cruel, cold-hearted, and unfeeling. This guide explores its character breakdown, cultural context, and practical examples, helping you understand how it differs from simply being “cold” (`冷淡 lěngdàn`) or “cool” (`酷 kù`). Master this HSK 5 word to accurately describe ruthless behavior or the chilling demeanor of a movie villain.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): lěngkù
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: Describing a person, action, or expression as emotionally cold, unfeeling, and often cruel or ruthless.
• In a Nutshell: 冷酷 (lěngkù) is much stronger than just being quiet or unfriendly. It describes a deep and often deliberate lack of empathy. Think of a classic movie villain who acts without a shred of compassion, a boss who fires employees with a cold stare, or a decision made with no regard for human feeling. It’s a chilling coldness that implies a hard, unfeeling heart.

• 冷 (lěng): This character's primary meaning is “cold” in temperature. Metaphorically, it represents emotional coldness, distance, and indifference.
• 酷 (kù): The classical meaning of this character is “harsh,” “severe,” or “cruel.” (Note: In modern slang, this character is also used as a loanword for “cool,” but in 冷酷, it retains its original, harsh meaning).
• Together, 冷 (cold) + 酷 (cruel) create a vivid image of someone whose personality is defined by a harsh, severe coldness. Their lack of warmth isn't passive; it's an active, almost weaponized form of indifference that can be genuinely cruel.

In Chinese culture, which often places a high value on 热情 (rèqíng - enthusiasm, warmth) and social harmony, being described as 冷酷 (lěngkù) is a very strong and serious criticism. It suggests a person is not just failing to be warm and friendly, but is fundamentally lacking in human empathy and compassion (`同情心 tóngqíngxīn`). A useful Western comparison is the concept of being “cold-blooded.” Both terms describe a chilling lack of emotion connected to cruel acts. However, 冷酷 (lěngkù) often focuses more on the *internal state* of being unfeelingly cold as a character trait, from which cruel actions naturally follow. “Cold-blooded” might be used more specifically to describe a particular heinous act (e.g., a cold-blooded murder). To call a person 冷酷 is to make a judgment about their core personality. It signifies a profound departure from the expected norms of interpersonal warmth and human decency.

冷酷 (lěngkù) is a powerful adjective used to express strong negative judgment. Its connotation is almost always negative.

• Describing People: This is the most common usage. It's perfect for describing a villain (`反派 fǎnpài`) in a TV show, a stern and merciless boss, or a person who acts with complete disregard for others' feelings.
• Describing Actions or Expressions: You can describe a decision as 冷酷 (e.g., a “ruthless decision”), a look as 冷酷 (a “cold-hearted stare”), or a refusal as 冷酷 (a “cruel rejection”).
• Formality: It's a strong word used in both everyday conversation and more formal or literary contexts. Because of its strength, it's not a word to be used lightly.

• Example 1:
  • 那个老板对待员工非常冷酷。
  • Pinyin: Nàge lǎobǎn duìdài yuángōng fēicháng lěngkù.
  • English: That boss treats his employees very cruelly.
  • Analysis: A classic example of describing a person's general behavior. It implies he is not just strict, but unfeelingly harsh.
• Example 2:
  • 电影里的反派露出了一个冷酷的微笑。
  • Pinyin: Diànyǐng lǐ de fǎnpài lùchū le yíge lěngkù de wēixiào.
  • English: The villain in the movie revealed a cold-hearted smile.
  • Analysis: Here, 冷酷 modifies a noun (`微笑` - smile), showing how an action can reflect this quality. A “cold-hearted smile” is chilling and devoid of warmth.
• Example 3:
  • 他冷酷地拒绝了我的请求，连看都没看我一眼。
  • Pinyin: Tā lěngkù de jùjuéle wǒ de qǐngqiú, lián kàn dōu méi kàn wǒ yìyǎn.
  • English: He ruthlessly rejected my request, without even glancing at me.
  • Analysis: The adverbial form `冷酷地 (lěngkù de)` is used here to describe *how* an action (rejecting) was performed.
• Example 4:
  • 你怎么能这么冷酷？他毕竟是你的朋友！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zěnme néng zhème lěngkù? Tā bìjìng shì nǐ de péngyǒu!
  • English: How can you be so cold-hearted? He's your friend, after all!
  • Analysis: This shows 冷酷 used in a direct, accusatory question, highlighting the speaker's shock at someone's lack of empathy.
• Example 5:
  • 现实是冷酷的，我们必须学会坚强。
  • Pinyin: Xiànshí shì lěngkù de, wǒmen bìxū xuéhuì jiānqiáng.
  • English: Reality is cruel; we must learn to be strong.
  • Analysis: 冷酷 can be used to describe abstract concepts like “reality” (`现实`), personifying it as an unfeeling force.
• Example 6:
  • 分手后，她变成了一个冷酷无情的人。
  • Pinyin: Fēnshǒu hòu, tā biànchéngle yíge lěngkù wúqíng de rén.
  • English: After the breakup, she became a cold and heartless person.
  • Analysis: This example pairs 冷酷 with `无情 (wúqíng - heartless)`, a common combination that reinforces the meaning.
• Example 7:
  • 他的眼神很冷酷，让人不寒而栗。
  • Pinyin: Tā de yǎnshén hěn lěngkù, ràng rén bù hán ér lì.
  • English: His gaze was very cold-hearted, it made people shudder.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the idiom `不寒而栗 (bù hán ér lì - to tremble without being cold)` to emphasize the chilling effect of a 冷酷 look.
• Example 8:
  • 这是一个冷酷的决定，但对公司来说是必要的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yíge lěngkù de juédìng, dàn duì gōngsī láishuō shì bìyào de.
  • English: This is a ruthless decision, but it's necessary for the company.
  • Analysis: Shows that a 冷酷 action can sometimes be framed as a pragmatic or necessary evil, even if it's unpleasant.
• Example 9:
  • 在战争中，士兵们必须变得冷酷才能生存。
  • Pinyin: Zài zhànzhēng zhōng, shìbīngmen bìxū biànde lěngkù cái néng shēngcún.
  • English: In war, soldiers must become ruthless in order to survive.
  • Analysis: Context matters. Here, being 冷酷 is presented as a survival mechanism rather than an inherent personality flaw.
• Example 10:
  • 他的话语像刀子一样冷酷。
  • Pinyin: Tā de huàyǔ xiàng dāozi yíyàng lěngkù.
  • English: His words were as cruel as a knife.
  • Analysis: A simile comparing words to a knife, with 冷酷 being the quality that makes them so sharp and hurtful.

1. `冷酷 (lěngkù)` vs. `冷淡 (lěngdàn)` - The MOST Common Pitfall This is a crucial distinction for learners.

• 冷淡 (lěngdàn): Means “indifferent,” “aloof,” or “lukewarm.” It describes a *lack of enthusiasm or warmth*. Someone might be `冷淡` because they are shy, tired, or simply not interested. It's negative, but much milder.
  • Correct: 他今天对我很冷淡，可能是我说错了什么话。 (Tā jīntiān duì wǒ hěn lěngdàn, kěnéng shì wǒ shuō cuòle shénme huà.) - “He was very aloof towards me today, maybe I said something wrong.”
• 冷酷 (lěngkù): Means “cruel” or “cold-hearted.” It implies a *lack of empathy and compassion*, often with a hint of malice. It's a fundamental character flaw.
  • Correct: 只有冷酷的人才能对流浪动物视而不见。 (Zhǐyǒu lěngkù de rén cáinéng duì liúlàng dòngwù shì'érbùjiàn.) - “Only a cold-hearted person could turn a blind eye to stray animals.”

2. `冷酷 (lěngkù)` vs. `酷 (kù)` - The “Cool” False Friend The character `酷` on its own has been co-opted into modern slang as a loanword for “cool” (as in stylish, awesome). This creates a massive potential for misunderstanding.

• 酷 (kù) = Cool / Awesome (Compliment)
  • Correct: 你这个新发型真酷！ (Nǐ zhège xīn fàxíng zhēn kù!) - “Your new hairstyle is so cool!”
• 冷酷 (lěngkù) = Cruel / Cold-hearted (Insult)
  • Correct: 他是一个冷酷的杀手。 (Tā shì yíge lěngkù de shāshǒu.) - “He is a cold-hearted killer.”
  • Incorrect Usage: To say someone is stylish, you would never say `他很冷酷`. This would mean “He is very cruel.” The correct phrase is `他很酷`.

• 冷淡 (lěngdàn) - A lesser degree of coldness; means “indifferent” or “aloof,” not necessarily cruel.
• 无情 (wúqíng) - A very close synonym for `冷酷`, meaning “heartless” or “without feeling.” Often used interchangeably.
• 冷血 (lěngxuè) - A strong synonym meaning “cold-blooded.” It carries a very visceral, almost monstrous connotation.
• 残忍 (cánrěn) - A synonym meaning “brutal” or “savage.” It emphasizes the physical or active cruelty of an act more than the internal emotional state.
• 热情 (rèqíng) - The direct antonym: “enthusiastic,” “warm,” “passionate.”
• 麻木 (mámù) - A related concept meaning “numb” or “apathetic.” While a `麻木` person might act in a `冷酷` way, `麻木` describes being desensitized, often due to trauma, whereas `冷酷` is seen more as an active character trait.
• 铁石心肠 (tiě shí xīn cháng) - A common idiom (chengyu) that means “to have a heart of iron and stone.” It is a perfect, more literary synonym for being `冷酷`.