火災

• Reading: かさい
• Romaji: kasai
• Kanji breakdown: 火 (ka) — fire; 災 (sai) — disaster, calamity
• Pronunciation: /ka.sa.i/

Meaning

Fire disaster; conflagration. A destructive fire, especially one affecting buildings.

A formal noun for fires that cause damage, used in news reports and official contexts. More formal than 火事 (kaji), which is the everyday word for a house fire. Common compounds include 火災保険 (fire insurance), 火災報知器 (fire alarm), and 火災現場 (fire scene).

Examples

1. 昨夜、近所で火災が発生した。 A fire broke out in the neighborhood last night.
2. 火災保険に入っておいたほうがいい。 You should get fire insurance.
3. 乾燥した日は火災に注意してください。 Please be careful of fires on dry days.

Usage Guide

Context: news, insurance, safety

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From 火 (fire) and 災 (disaster, calamity). The compound specifically denotes fire as a destructive disaster event, distinguishing it from fire as a natural element or controlled flame.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal