水灾

• Pinyin: shuǐ zāi
• Hanzi breakdown: 水 = pictograph of flowing water; 灾 = 宀 (roof) + 火 (fire), disaster

Meaning

Flood; flood disaster. Damage caused by flooding.

Refers to disasters caused by flooding from rivers overflowing, heavy rainfall, or other water-related events. Common in news reports about natural disasters. China, with its major river systems, has historically dealt with significant flood events.

Examples

1. 去年的水灾造成了严重的经济损失。 Last year's flood caused serious economic losses.
2. 政府已经派出救援队伍前往水灾地区。 The government has dispatched rescue teams to the flood-affected areas.
3. 为了预防水灾，这条河流每年都要加固堤坝。 To prevent flooding, the riverbanks are reinforced every year.

Usage Guide

Context: news, disasters, weather

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 这里经常发生水灾。(Floods often occur here.)
• 水灾过后要注意防疫。(After a flood, attention must be paid to epidemic prevention.)

Don't Say

• 小水灾 for minor flooding at home — for small-scale flooding, use 漏水 or 进水; 水灾 implies major disaster

Origin & History

Compound of 水 (water) + 灾 (disaster), meaning disaster caused by water.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal