浩劫

• Pinyin: hào jié
• Hanzi breakdown: 浩 = 氵(water) + 告 (announce) — vast/mighty; 劫 = 去 (go) + 力 (force) — calamity/robbery

Meaning

Catastrophe; calamity; disaster on a massive scale. Refers to a devastating event that causes enormous destruction or suffering.

Used for natural disasters, wars, famines, and historical tragedies. Carries a grave, solemn tone. Often found in literary writing, historical accounts, and journalism covering major crises. More intense than 灾难 (disaster).

Examples

1. 那场战争给整个地区带来了难以言说的浩劫。 That war brought an unspeakable catastrophe to the entire region.
2. 洪水过后，村民们面对满目疮痍的浩劫景象，不禁潸然泪下。 After the flood, faced with the devastation as far as the eye could see, the villagers couldn’t help but weep.
3. 历史上曾多次发生改变人类文明进程的浩劫。 History has seen many catastrophes that changed the course of human civilization.

Usage Guide

Context: history, journalism, literary writing, disasters

Tone: solemn

Do Say

• 二战是人类历史上最惨烈的浩劫之一，造成了难以估量的生命损失。(World War II was one of the most devastating catastrophes in human history, causing immeasurable loss of life.)
• 生态浩劫一旦发生，修复需要几十年甚至更长时间。(Once an ecological catastrophe occurs, recovery takes decades or longer.)

Don't Say

• 浩劫 for minor setbacks or personal problems — it describes civilisation-level or large-scale disasters; 挫折 or 打击 suit smaller difficulties

Origin & History

浩 (vast; great) + 劫 (calamity; robbery; Buddhist concept of an eon) — vast calamity

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal