πικρός (Ancient Greek)
concept / concept-word-pikros-grc
πικρός（古典ギリシア語）
Πικρός (Ancient Greek) is the Classical Greek adjective πικρός (pikrós). Originally denoting something pointed or sharp, it extended to taste (pungency) and figurative senses about people and things, including bitter and relentless.
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Reading the bitterness
Πικρός (pikrós) is a Classical Greek adjective. LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon, hosted by Perseus Digital Library) gives its original sense as 『pointed, sharp, keen』, with examples describing an arrow (ὀϊστός) or a plant thorn (γλωχίς).
The same dictionary extends this sense to sharpness across the senses and, for taste, gives 『pungent』. It gives examples describing a root (ῥίζα) and brine (ἅλμη), as well as seawater in opposition to γλυκύς (“sweet”).
Its figurative senses include 『bitter』, for things or people that cause pain rather than expected pleasure. It also gives 『πικρὰ ὄρνις』 (in translation: "angry bird") for an embittered or angry sense, as well as relentless, spiteful, mean, and vindictive senses.
Sources for this overview
πικρός — A Greek-English Lexicon (Liddell-Scott-Jones), Perseus Digital Library
Checked for this overview: Presented the original sense of pointed or sharp and its examples. / Presented the extension to sensory sharpness and taste. / Presented figurative senses including bitter and relentless.
Other names: πικρός (grc)
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Culture (3)
Scope: Perseus, LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones) A Greek-English Lexicon, headword πικρός (pikros), sense A (prop.)
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concept-word-pikros-grc —is_defined_in_dictionary_as→ "prop. A. pointed, sharp, keen, "ὀϊστός" Il.4.118..."γλωχίς" S.Tr.681 (in translation: properly, "pointed, sharp, keen," citing ὀϊστός [an arrow] at Il.4.118 and γλωχίς [a plant's barb/point] at S.Tr.681 as examples)"Scope: Perseus, LSJ A Greek-English Lexicon, headword πικρός, sense II.1.
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concept-word-pikros-grc —is_defined_in_dictionary_as→ "『II. generally, sharp to the sense: 1. of taste, pungent, "ῥίζα" Il.11.846; "ἅλμη" Od.5.323...of salt water, opp. γλυκύς』. The examples include 「根」 (in translation: "root") and 「塩水」 (in translation: "brine"); γλυκύς means 「甘い」 (in translation: "sweet") and is contrasted with seawater."Scope: Perseus, LSJ A Greek-English Lexicon, headword πικρός, sense III.
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concept-word-pikros-grc —is_presented_as→ "『III. metaph., 1. of things, bitter, esp. of what yields pain instead of expected pleasure...2. so of persons...3. embittered, angry, "πικρὰ ὄρνις" S.Ant.423. 4. relentless, "οὐδὲν πικρότερον τῆς ἀνάγκης" Antipho 2.2.4; spiteful, mean, vindictive』. The accompanying explanation calls the sense for things and people 「苦い」 (in translation: "bitter") when they bring pain instead of expected pleasure; it also lists 「憤った」 (in translation: "angry") with 「怒れる鳥」 (in translation: "angry bird"), and 「容赦のない」 (in translation: "relentless") with 「必然ほど容赦ないものはない」 (in translation: "nothing is more relentless than necessity"), plus spiteful, mean, and vindictive uses."