遭難

• Reading: そうなん
• Romaji: sounan
• Kanji breakdown: 遭 (sou) — encounter, meet with; 難 (nan) — difficulty, disaster, hardship
• Pronunciation: /soː.naɴ/

Meaning

Meeting with disaster; having an accident. Being caught in a dangerous situation, especially in mountains or at sea.

A noun and suru-verb most commonly associated with mountaineering accidents, shipwrecks, and getting lost in wilderness. Unlike general 事故 (jiko, accident), 遭難 implies being stranded or in peril in a remote or dangerous environment. Used as 遭難する (to meet with disaster). Common compounds include 遭難者 (sounansha, disaster victim) and 遭難信号 (sounan shingou, distress signal).

Examples

1. 冬山で遭難した登山者が救助された。 A climber who got stranded in the winter mountains was rescued.
2. 遭難信号を受けて、すぐに救助隊が出動した。 Upon receiving a distress signal, a rescue team was immediately dispatched.
3. 天候が急変して遭難する危険がある。 A sudden change in weather could put you in danger of getting stranded.

Usage Guide

Context: mountaineering, maritime, rescue operations

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 遭 (sou, encounter/meet with) + 難 (nan, difficulty/disaster). Literally 'encountering difficulty' — meeting with misfortune beyond one's control.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal