merciless

Compared meaning: showing no pity or compassion; cruel (adjective).

比较义项：无情的，残忍的（形容词）。

• ruthless

  Describes a person's hard, determined character - willing to hurt others while pursuing power, profit or a goal; typically used for ambitious people, leaders or business decisions.

  形容人性格强硬、意志坚定——为了追求权力、利益或目标不惜伤害他人；常用来形容有野心的人、领导者或商业决策。

  The company's ruthless expansion strategy crushed every small competitor in its path.

  这家公司无情的扩张战略摧毁了沿途每一个小竞争对手。

• merciless 本词

  Emphasizes showing no pity toward someone already suffering or at a disadvantage; can also describe non-human forces, like weather, that cause relentless suffering without deliberate intent.

  强调对已经处于痛苦或劣势中的对象毫不怜悯；也可以用来形容天气等无意图的力量所带来的持续折磨。

  The sun's merciless heat beat down on the hikers all afternoon.

  整个下午，毫不留情的烈日炙烤着这些徒步者。

Ruthless and merciless both mean showing no pity, very cruel, but the focus differs. Ruthless stresses a hard, determined character willing to do anything for a goal, often ambitious leaders or business decisions. Merciless stresses no pity toward someone already suffering, or forces like weather.

这两个词都形容毫不怜悯、心狠手辣，但重心不同：ruthless 强调为达到目标而不择手段的强硬性格，常用于形容野心家、领导者或商业决策；merciless 强调对已经身处痛苦或劣势中的对象毫不留情，也可用来形容天气等没有意图的力量。两词在本卡片中只比较这一义项。