Meaning
无情 describes someone or something that lacks compassion, mercy, or emotional warmth. It combines 无 (without) and 情 (feeling/emotion) to convey coldness or cruelty in behavior or attitude. The term can describe people, actions, nature, or even abstract concepts like time or fate.
Usage
无情 is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to criticize someone's lack of empathy or to describe harsh, unforgiving circumstances. It often appears in proverbs and literary contexts, and can describe everything from a person's cruel actions to the relentless passage of time. The term carries a strong negative connotation.
Examples
- 01时间无情，我们都老了。, .Time is merciless; we've all grown old.
- 02他对待敌人冷酷无情。.He treats his enemies coldly and ruthlessly.
Characters
Common collocations
- 无情无义heartless and unrighteous
- 冷酷无情cold and heartless
- 岁月无情time is merciless
- 铁面无情stern and unfeeling
Antonyms
Origin
This compound combines 无 (to lack) with 情 (emotion/feeling), creating a straightforward descriptor for absence of compassion. The structure follows classical Chinese patterns where 无 negates the following noun.