Japanese word

深刻

Pronunciation

Romajishinkoku

Meaning

  • na-adjectiveserious

Example

この問題は深刻です。ko no mon dai wa shin koku de su

This problem is serious.

Illustration for 深刻 (serious)

More examples

適切な対策を取らなければ、被害は深刻なものになります。teki setsu na tai saku o to ra na ke re ba hi gai wa shin koku na mo no ni na ri ma su

Without appropriate measures, the damage will become serious.

Core concept

Expresses a level of seriousness that makes a problem difficult to ignore or deal with casually.

Common phrases

  • 深刻な問題shin koku na mon dai

    serious problem

  • 深刻な状況shin koku na jō kyō

    serious situation

  • 深刻な影響shin koku na ei kyō

    serious impact

Similar words

重大jūdai: Describes something important because it may cause serious harm or consequences.
切実setsujitsu: Describes a need or problem that is strongly felt and cannot be put aside.

Definition in Japanese

問題や事態が重く、軽く扱えない状態にあるさま。mon dai ya ji tai ga omo ku karu ku atsuka e na i jō tai ni a ru sa ma

Word origin

深刻 (shinkoku) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 深 (shin, "deep") and 刻 (koku, "carve"), with the sense of something deeply marked or felt.

Usage tips

  • 深刻 (shinkoku) can describe a worsening situation as well as a serious one, so it often appears when a problem needs urgent attention.

Other meanings

  • severena-adjective

Opposites

  • 軽微keibiminorna-adjective

Related words

  • 深刻化shinkokukaescalationnoun
  • 深刻さshinkokusaseveritynoun

Word lists with this word