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**心を鬼にする** >> Can anyone explain to me what is the meaning of this expression
?

I guess it's like "I've made up my mind to become ruthless (though I don't
want to) "?

I'm not so sure so can anyone give me a correct understanding thanks
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2021-05-19T21:11:23.577
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2021-05-19T21:19:36.840
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meaning expressions japanese-to-english
心を鬼にする >>What's the meaning of this expression ? (I've decided to become ruthless /evil ?)
Your guess isn't too far off the mark. A more idiomatic way of saying that in
English is _" to harden one's heart"_, generally in reference to when you need
to do something that someone doesn't want you to do, but that might actually
be good for that person.

As explained in my personal copy of Daijirin:

> **[心]{こころ}を[鬼]{おに}にする**  
>  気の毒に思いながら，その人のためを思ってやむなく厳しくする。「―＿して破門する」

Relevant entries in
[Kotobank](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%BF%83%E3%82%92%E9%AC%BC%E3%81%AB%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B-500530)
(all in Japanese), and in [bilingual
Weblio](https://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E5%BF%83%E3%82%92%E9%AC%BC%E3%81%AB%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B).
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2021-05-19T21:19:36.840
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