災害

• Reading: さいがい
• Romaji: saigai
• Kanji breakdown: 災 (sai) — disaster, calamity; 害 (gai) — harm, damage
• Pronunciation: /sai.ɡai/

Meaning

Disaster; calamity; misfortune. A broad term for natural and man-made catastrophic events.

Encompasses all types of disasters including 自然災害 (natural disasters) and 人災 (man-made disasters). Commonly seen in compound words like 災害対策 (disaster countermeasures) and 災害時 (at the time of disaster). A high-frequency word in Japanese news and public safety communications.

Examples

1. 日本は災害が多い国です。 Japan is a country with many disasters.
2. 災害に備えて、水や食料を準備しています。 I'm preparing water and food in case of a disaster.
3. 災害が起きたとき、どこに逃げるか決めていますか。 Have you decided where to evacuate when a disaster occurs?

Usage Guide

Context: news, safety, public policy

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Compound of 災 (disaster, calamity) and 害 (harm, damage). Together they describe events that cause widespread harm.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal