灾

• Pinyin: zāi
• Hanzi breakdown: 灾 = 宀 (roof) + 火 (fire), disaster striking a home

Meaning

Disaster; calamity. A catastrophic event causing great damage or suffering.

A general term for disasters and misfortunes. Forms many compounds: 灾害 (disaster/damage), 灾难 (catastrophe), 灾区 (disaster area), 天灾 (natural disaster), 火灾 (fire), 水灾 (flood), 旱灾 (drought).

Examples

1. 今年南方发生了严重的水灾。 A serious flood occurred in the south this year.
2. 政府积极组织救灾工作。 The government actively organized disaster relief efforts.
3. 这场大火造成了巨大的灾情。 This fire caused enormous damage.

Usage Guide

Context: emergencies, news, government

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 今年自然灾害比较多。(There have been more natural disasters this year.)
• 他们正在组织救灾。(They are organizing disaster relief.)

Don't Say

• 你好灾啊 (灾 is not used as a casual adjective — don't use it like 惨)

Origin & History

Pictograph showing fire (火) under a roof, representing disaster striking a home.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal