Readings: サイ (Onyomi), わざわ.い (Kunyomi)
Meaning: calamity, disaster, misfortune
The kanji 災 combines the elements of water (represented by the top part, a variant of 川 “river”) and fire (火). Historically, these two elements were seen as primary causes of natural disasters, symbolizing floods and conflagrations, hence the meaning of calamity or disaster.
View JLPT N1 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The stroke order for 災 begins with the three strokes of the top component, followed by the two horizontal strokes, and finally the two strokes for the fire (火) radical at the bottom. It’s written from top to bottom, left to right.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 火 (ひ) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 7 |
| JLPT Level | N1 |
| Grade | Joyo Kanji (Advanced) |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- サイ (SAI)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- わざわい (wazawai)
Common Words Using 災
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 災害 | さいがい | disaster, calamity |
| 災難 | さいなん | misfortune, disaster |
| 天災 | てんさい | natural disaster |
| 火災 | かさい | fire (as a disaster) |
| 被災 | ひさい | suffering from a disaster, being a disaster victim |
| 防災 | ぼうさい | disaster prevention |
| 震災 | しんさい | earthquake disaster |
| 水災 | すいさい | flood disaster/damage |
| 労災 | ろうさい | industrial accident, work-related injury (short for 労働災害) |
| 厄災 | やくさい | calamity, disaster, evil |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 災い | わざわい | calamity, misfortune |
| 災いを避ける | わざわいをさける | to avoid disaster |
| 災いを防ぐ | わざわいをふせぐ | to prevent disaster |
| 災いをなす | わざわいをなす | to cause disaster |
| 災いのもと | わざわいのもと | source of trouble/calamity |
| 災いが多い | わざわいがおおい | full of troubles/calamities |
| 災いを乗り越える | わざわいをのりこえる | to overcome a disaster |
| 災いに見舞われる | わざわいにみまわれる | to be struck by disaster |
| 災いを招く | わざわいをまねく | to bring about misfortune |
| 災い転じて福と為す | わざわいてんじてふくとなす | adversity turns into a blessing (proverb) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 地震は大きな災害をもたらした。
Kana: じしんは おおきな さいがいを もたらした。
Romaji: Jishin wa ookina saigai o motarashita.
English: The earthquake brought about a major disaster.
Japanese: 彼の人生には災難が続いた。
Kana: かれの じんせいには さいなんが つづいた。
Romaji: Kare no jinsei ni wa sainan ga tsuduita.
English: Misfortune continued in his life.
Japanese: この地域は天災が多い。
Kana: この ちいきは てんさいが おおい。
Romaji: Kono chiiki wa tensai ga ooi.
English: This region experiences many natural disasters.
Japanese: 火災報知器が鳴り響いた。
Kana: かさいほうちきが なりひびいた。
Romaji: Kasai houchiki ga narihibiita.
English: The fire alarm blared.
Japanese: 被災地の復興には時間がかかるだろう。
Kana: ひさいちの ふっこうには じかんが かかるだろう。
Romaji: Hisaichi no fukkou ni wa jikan ga kakaru darou.
English: The reconstruction of the disaster-stricken area will probably take time.
Japanese: 防災訓練は非常に重要だ。
Kana: ぼうさいくんれんは ひじょうに じゅうようだ。
Romaji: Bousai kunren wa hijou ni juuyou da.
English: Disaster prevention drills are extremely important.
Japanese: 東日本大震災から多くの教訓を学んだ。
Kana: ひがしにほんだいしんさいから おおくの きょうくんを まなんだ。
Romaji: Higashi Nihon Daishinsai kara ooku no kyoukun o mananda.
English: We learned many lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Japanese: 台風による水災で家が流された。
Kana: たいふうによる すいさいで いえが ながされた。
Romaji: Taifuu ni yoru suisai de ie ga nagasareta.
English: The house was washed away by flood damage caused by the typhoon.
Japanese: 労災保険は労働者を守るための制度です。
Kana: ろうさいほけん は ろうどうしゃを まもるための せいど です。
Romaji: Rousai hoken wa roudousha o mamoru tame no seido desu.
English: Workers’ compensation insurance is a system to protect laborers.
Japanese: 災い転じて福となすとはよく言ったものだ。
Kana: わざわいてんじて ふくとなすとは よく いったものだ。
Romaji: Wazawai tenjite fuku to nasu to wa yoku itta mono da.
English: It is well said that adversity can turn into a blessing.
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