人災

• Reading: じんさい
• Romaji: jinsai
• Kanji breakdown: 人 (jin) — person, human; 災 (sai) — disaster, calamity
• Pronunciation: /dʑiɴ.sai/

Meaning

Man-made disaster; calamity caused by human error or negligence.

A noun contrasted with 天災 (tensai, natural disaster). Refers to disasters or accidents caused by human action, negligence, or poor decision-making. Examples include industrial accidents, environmental pollution, and preventable infrastructure failures. Commonly used in news and disaster analysis.

Examples

1. あの事故は天災ではなく人災だと指摘された。 It was pointed out that the accident was a man-made disaster, not a natural one.
2. 人災を防ぐためには安全管理の徹底が必要だ。 Preventing man-made disasters requires thorough safety management.
3. 環境汚染は典型的な人災の一つだ。 Environmental pollution is one classic example of a man-made disaster.

Usage Guide

Context: news, disaster analysis, safety management

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Compound of 人 (jin, person/human) + 災 (sai, disaster/calamity). Directly parallels 天災 (heaven + disaster), creating a clear dichotomy between natural and human-caused catastrophes.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal