旱灾

• Pinyin: hàn zāi
• Hanzi breakdown: 旱 = 日 + 干 (sun causing dryness); 灾 = 宀 (roof) + 火 (fire) — fire and calamity under a roof

Meaning

Drought disaster — a severe and prolonged period of deficient rainfall that causes significant agricultural, economic, and social damage.

More formal and serious than 旱情 (drought conditions). Used in government documents, disaster relief reporting, and news contexts. The antonym is 洪灾 (flood disaster). Often triggers national-level emergency response and disaster relief funding.

Examples

1. 这场持续八个月的旱灾使西部数省的粮食产量大幅下滑，中央政府紧急下拨专项救灾资金。 This eight-month drought disaster caused grain output in several western provinces to drop sharply, and the central government urgently allocated special relief funds.
2. 历史记载显示，该地区在十九世纪曾遭遇多次严重旱灾，造成大批人口背井离乡。 Historical records show that the region suffered several severe drought disasters in the nineteenth century, forcing large numbers of people to leave their homes.
3. 农业部专家组赴灾区实地勘查后，评估认为此次旱灾的受灾面积和经济损失均属近年之最。 After an on-site assessment in the disaster area, an expert team from the Ministry of Agriculture concluded that both the affected area and the economic losses from this drought disaster are the worst in recent years.

Usage Guide

Context: government, agriculture, disaster relief, journalism

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 国家防汛抗旱总指挥部已将此次旱灾列为重大自然灾害，并协调各部门全力开展抗旱救灾工作。(The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has classified this drought disaster as a major natural disaster and has coordinated all departments to carry out drought-relief work with full force.)
• 联合国粮食及农业组织发出警告，受气候变化影响，全球范围内旱灾的发生频率和严重程度正在持续上升。(The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has issued a warning that, under the influence of climate change, the frequency and severity of drought disasters globally is continuing to rise.)

Don't Say

• 旱灾 for temporary dry spells or mild dry conditions — 旱灾 implies disaster-level severity; for mild or brief dry conditions use 旱情 or 干旱

Origin & History

旱 (drought/dry) + 灾 (disaster, calamity) — drought-caused disaster

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal