HSK · Level 39
120 words
Chinese word
灾难
Pronunciation
Pinyinzāi nàn
Meaning
- noundisaster
Example
他遭遇了灾难。tā zāo yù le zāi nàn
He experienced a disaster.
More examples
地震发生后，许多人无家可归，面临着灾难。dì zhèn fā shēng hòu xǔ duō rén wú jiā kě guī miàn lín zhe zāi nàn
After the earthquake, many people lost their homes and faced disaster.
Core concept
A severe blow that turns a dangerous event or misfortune into widespread loss and suffering.
Common phrases
遭遇灾难zāo yù zāi nàn
suffer a disaster
引发灾难yǐn fā zāi nàn
trigger a disaster
灾难发生zāi nàn fā shēng
a disaster happens
Similar words
灾害zāi hài: A large event, often caused by nature, that causes serious harm across a community or society.
惨事cǎn shì: A terrible event that brings many deaths, injuries, or deep sadness.
不幸bú xìng: Bad luck or a hard situation that brings trouble to a person or group.
事故shì gù: A sudden event that harms people or damages property by accident.
Definition in Chinese
指严重的不幸或造成广泛损害的事件或局面，通常为突发的祸患，可用于自然灾害或个人、社会的重大不幸。zhǐ yán zhòng de bú xìng huò zào chéng guǎng fàn sǔn hài de shì jiàn huò jú miàn tōng cháng wèi tū fā de huò huàn kě yòng yú zì rán zāi hài huò gè rén shè huì de zhòng dà bú xìng
Word origin
The word 灾难 (zāinàn, "disaster") joins 灾 (zāi, "calamity") with 难 (nàn, "hardship"), linking a harmful event with the hardship it brings.
Usage tips
- This noun marks an extreme setback rather than an everyday problem, so applying it to a missed bus or minor mistake sounds exaggerated.