苛
harsh; severe; trivial
Meanings
2 senses · 10 examplesadjective
harsh; overly strict; unkind
Describes demands, treatment, or rules that are too strict and unfair.
The boss's requirements for employees are far too harsh.
He rejected the other party's excessive harsh demands.
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The service attitude of this restaurant is so harsh that customers don't want to come back.
Don't be overly strict with your child's study requirements.
He was trapped by the harsh terms of the contract.
adjective
complicated; trivial; tedious
formalUsed to describe formal procedures, taxes, or rituals that are overly complicated and annoying.
Ancient imperial courts often imposed burdensome miscellaneous taxes, leaving the people in extreme misery.
These tedious rituals make people feel very uncomfortable.
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The new policy abolished many cumbersome and miscellaneous fee items.
The onboarding process of this company is overly tedious, wasting a lot of time.
Tedious rituals and overcomplicated formalities are common drawbacks in ancient officialdom.