noun, adjectival noun or quasi-adjective, takes genitive case の

  1. irony, sarcasm, cynicism, satire.
  2. unexpected, different from what one expected, not as one had planned.

noun

  1. (only) surface, something superficial.
  2. skin and bone, body. Archaism. Literal meaning.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
皮肉 ひにく

Contained Kanji Breakdown

pelt, skin, hide
かわ ヒ (3rd, N2)
wild goose, trailing cliff radical (no. 27)
カン かりがね (Kentei 1)
strike, hit, folding chair radical (no. 66)
ホク (Kentei 1)
divining, fortune-telling, divination or katakana to radical (no. 25)
ボク うらな.う うらない (Kentei Pre-1)
or again, furthermore, on the other hand
また ユウ やす (8th, N1)
meat
ニク しし (2nd, N4)
inside, within, between
ナイ うち ダイ (2nd, N3)
upside-down box radical (no. 13)
キョウ ケイ (Kentei 1)
person
ひと ニン ジン (1st, N5)