災

See also: 灾 and 烖

災 U+707D, 災 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-707D ← 灼 [U+707C] CJK Unified Ideographs 灾 → [U+707E]

災 U+2F918, 災 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F918 ← 灊 [U+2F917] CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement 灷 → [U+2F919]

Translingual

Han character

Stroke order

災 (Kangxi radical 86, 火+3, 7 strokes, cangjie input 女女火 (VVF), four-corner 2280₉, composition ⿱巛火)

Derived characters

• 𨓌, 𨉒, 𤑹, 𭴠

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 666, character 18
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 18879
• Dae Jaweon: page 1075, character 23
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2190, character 6
• Unihan data for U+707D

• Unihan data for U+2F918

Chinese

trad.		災/灾/烖/菑*
simp.		灾
alternative forms		𤆎 𡿧 甾 𤉣 𤈮 𤆎 𡿧 甾 𤉣 𤈮 𥘔 𢎇 𨓌 𭴠

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (災) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
灾	*ʔsɯː
災	*ʔslɯː

In the oracle bone script, the word OC *ʔslɯː ("disaster") was represented by three different characters, each representing a kind of disaster: 灾 for fires, 𡿧 for floods and 𢦏 for war.

In the seal script, it was written as 烖. The form in the 籀文 (zhòuwén) script in turn is an ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 𡿧 (“flood”) + 火 (“fire”). The clerical script inherits this form and further removes the horizontal stroke from the 𡿧. It can also be found as 𥘔 in the Chu slip script.

Owing to its complicated history, this character has a very large number of variant forms; it became over time consistently written as 災.

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tsə (“to be hot”); cognate with Burmese ဆာ (hca, “hungry, thirsty”), Tibetan ཚ (tsha, “hot, intense”), and 菑 (OC *ʔsrɯ, *ʔsɯː, *ʔsɯː, “field cleared by slash and burn”) (STEDT), which is its r-causative (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): zāi (zai¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄞ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): zai¹

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): zǎi

  (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): zài

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): zoi¹

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): zui¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): doi¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): zai¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): châi

  (Hailu, HRS): zai^ˋ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): zai¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): zai¹
• Northern Min (KCR): cuói
• Eastern Min (BUC): căi
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): zoe¹ / zai¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): che / cher / chai

  (Teochew, Peng'im): zai¹

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): zai¹

• Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): zaai¹
• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ¹tse / ¹tsae / ¹tsai / ¹tsa
  • (Jinhua): ¹tsae
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): zai¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zāi
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄞ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zai
    • Wade–Giles: tsai¹
    • Yale: dzāi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzai
    • Palladius: цзай (czaj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡saɪ̯⁵⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: zai¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: zai
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sai⁵⁵/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: zǎi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sæ²¹/
  • (Nanjing)
    • Nanjing Pinyin: zài
    • Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): zai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɛ³¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: zoi¹
    • Yale: jōi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzoi¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: zoi¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɔːi̯⁵⁵/
  • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: zui¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sui²¹³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: doi¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tᵘɔi³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: zai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sai⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: châi
    • Hakka Romanization System: zai^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: zai¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sai̯²⁴/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: zai^ˋ
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sai⁵³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: zai¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡saɪ⁴⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: zai¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sai¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: cuói
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡suɛ⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: căi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sai⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zoe¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: ce̤
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sø⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou, Youyang)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zoe¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sø⁵⁴⁴/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zai¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: cai
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sai⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou, Youyang)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sai⁵⁴⁴/

Note:

• zoe1 - vernacular;
• zai1 - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Zhangpu, Jinjiang, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Hsinchu, Yilan, Magong)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: che
    • Tâi-lô: tse
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zef
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangpu): /t͡siei⁵⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Jinjiang): /t͡se³³/
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan): /t͡se⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Nan'an, Hui'an, Lukang, Sanxia, Hsinchu, Kinmen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: cher
    • Tâi-lô: tser
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou, Nan'an, Hui'an, Lukang): /t͡sə³³/
    • Sinological IPA (Kinmen): /t͡sə⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Zhangpu, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chai
    • Tâi-lô: tsai
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zay
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡sai⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangpu): /t͡sai⁵⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an): /t͡sai³³/

Note:

• che/cher - vernacular;
• chai - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: zai¹
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsai
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sai³³/
• (Leizhou)
  • Leizhou Pinyin: zai¹
  • Sinological IPA: /t͡sai³⁵/
• Southern Pinghua
  • (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
    • Jyutping++: zaai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sai⁵³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Songjiang, Chuansha, Suzhou, Tongxiang, Haining, Deqing, Hangzhou, Xiaoshan, Shaoxing, Cixi, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
    • Wugniu: ¹tse
    • MiniDict: tse^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tse
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡se⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /t͡se⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Chuansha): /t͡se⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /t͡se⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /t͡sɛ⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Haining): /t͡se⁵⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Deqing): /t͡sɛ⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /t͡sɛ³³⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Xiaoshan): /t͡se⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /t͡se⁵²/
    • Sinological IPA (Cixi): /t͡se³²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /t͡se⁵²/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /t͡se⁵³/
  • (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Kunshan, Jiaxing, Haiyan)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsae
    • MiniDict: tsae^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /t͡se⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /t͡sɛ⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Kunshan): /t͡sɛ⁵⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /t͡sɛ⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /t͡sɛ⁵¹/
  • (Northern: Chongming, Changzhou, Jingjiang)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsai
    • MiniDict: tsai^平
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /t͡sɛ⁵⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /t͡sai⁵⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Jingjiang): /t͡sɛ⁴⁴/
  • (Northern: Shaoxing)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsa
    • MiniDict: tsa^平
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /t͡sa⁵²/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsae
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /t͡sɛ³³⁴/

Note:

• Shaoxing:
  • 1tsa - vernacular;
  • 1tse - literary.

• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: zai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sai̯³³/

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• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 災
Mandarin	Beijing	/t͡sai⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/t͡sai⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/t͡sai²¹/
	Jinan	/t͡sɛ²¹³/
	Qingdao	/t͡sɛ²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/t͡sai²⁴/
	Xi'an	/t͡sai²¹/
	Xining	/t͡sɛ⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/t͡sɛ⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/t͡sɛ³¹/
	Ürümqi	/t͡sai⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/t͡sai⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/t͡sai⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/t͡sai⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/t͡sæ⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/t͡sae³¹/
	Hefei	/t͡se̞²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/t͡sai¹¹/
	Pingyao	/t͡sæ¹³/
	Hohhot	/t͡sɛ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/t͡se⁵³/
	Suzhou	/t͡se̞⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/t͡se̞³³/
	Wenzhou	/t͡se³³/
Hui	Shexian	/t͡sɛ³¹/
	Tunxi	/t͡sə¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/t͡sai³³/
	Xiangtan	/t͡sai³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/t͡sai⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/t͡sai⁴⁴/
	Taoyuan	/t͡sɑi²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/t͡sɔi⁵³/
	Nanning	/t͡sɔi⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/t͡sɔi⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/t͡sai⁵⁵/ /t͡se⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/t͡sai⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/t͡suɛ⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/t͡sai³³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/t͡sai²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: tsoj

Rime
Character	災
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	精 (13)
Final (韻)	咍 (41)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	祖才切
Baxter	tsoj
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡sʌi/
Pan Wuyun	/t͡səi/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡sɒi/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/t͡səj/
Li Rong	/t͡sᴀi/
Wang Li	/t͡sɒi/
Bernhard Karlgren	/t͡sɑ̆i/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	zāi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	zoi1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ts]ˤə/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ʔslɯː/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	災
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	zāi
Middle Chinese	‹ tsoj ›
Old Chinese	/*[ts]ˁə/
English	calamity
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	災
Reading #	1/1
No.	16487
Phonetic component	災
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	烖
Old Chinese	/*ʔslɯː/
Notes	烖籀文

Definitions

災

1. (literary, or in compounds) calamity; disaster; catastrophe

   • 故曰，城郭不完，兵甲不多，非國之災也 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     故曰，城郭不完，兵甲不多，非国之灾也 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     gù yuē, chéng guō bù wán, bīng jiǎ bùduō, fēi guó zhī zāi yě [Pinyin]

     Therefore it is said, "It is not the exterior and interior walls being incomplete, and the supply of weapons offensive and defensive not being large, which constitutes the calamity of a kingdom."

2. (literary, or in compounds) fire; to be destroyed by fire

   • 秋，八月壬申，禦廩災。乙亥，嘗。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     秋，八月壬申，御廪灾。乙亥，尝。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Qiū, bā yuè rénshēn, yù lǐn zāi. Yǐhài, cháng. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

3. (literary, or in compounds) personal misfortune
4. (literary, or in compounds) stricken; disaster-affected; disaster-afflicted

Synonyms

• (calamity):

edit

• 亂兒 / 乱儿 (luànr) (dialectal)
• 人禍 / 人祸 (rénhuò) (man-made disaster)
• 劫 (jié) (Buddhism)
• 劫煞 (Hokkien)
• 劫難 / 劫难 (jiénàn)
• 厄 (literary, or in compounds)
• 大禍 / 大祸 (dàhuò) (major catastrophe)
• 大難 / 大难 (dànàn) (major catastrophe)
• 天災 / 天灾 (tiānzāi) (natural disaster)
• 央厄 (yāng'è) (literary)
• 奇禍 / 奇祸 (qíhuò) (literary, unexpected disaster)
• 巨禍 / 巨祸 (jùhuò) (literary)
• 患 (huàn) (literary, or in compounds)
• 慘事 / 惨事 (cǎnshì)
• 慘劇 / 惨剧 (cǎnjù)
• 慘禍 / 惨祸 (cǎnhuò) (tragic accident)
• 沙𧐔 (sua¹ sab⁴) (Teochew)
• 浩劫 (hàojié)
• 災劫 / 灾劫 (zāijié) (literary)
• 災厄 / 灾厄 (zāi'è) (literary)
• 災害 / 灾害 (zāihài)
• 災殃 / 灾殃 (zāiyāng)
• 災禍 / 灾祸 (zāihuò)
• 災變 / 灾变 (zāibiàn) (literary, natural disaster)
• 災障 / 灾障 (zāizhàng) (literary)
• 災難 / 灾难 (zāinàn)
• 癰疽 / 痈疽 (yōngjū) (figurative)
• 眚沴 (shěnglì) (literary)
• 禍 / 祸 (huò) (literary, or in compounds)
• 禍事 / 祸事 (huòshì)
• 禍害 / 祸害 (huòhài)
• 禍息 / 祸息 (ho⁵ si⁶) (Xiang)
• 禍患 / 祸患 (huòhuàn)
• 禍殃 / 祸殃 (huòyāng)

Compounds

• 三災八難 / 三灾八难
• 兵災 / 兵灾 (bīngzāi)
• 兵災保險 / 兵灾保险
• 凌災
• 回祿之災 / 回禄之灾
• 壓災 / 压灾
• 多災多難 / 多灾多难 (duōzāiduōnàn)
• 多病多災 / 多病多灾
• 大災 / 大灾
• 大災難 / 大灾难
• 天災 / 天灾 (tiānzāi)
• 天災人禍 / 天灾人祸 (tiānzāirénhuò)
• 天災地孽 / 天灾地孽
• 天災地變 / 天灾地变
• 天災物怪 / 天灾物怪
• 天然災害 / 天然灾害
• 妖災 / 妖灾
• 害天災 / 害天灾
• 幸災樂禍 / 幸灾乐祸 (xìngzāilèhuò)
• 息災 / 息灾
• 惹災招禍 / 惹灾招祸
• 惹禍招災 / 惹祸招灾
• 抑災 / 抑灾
• 招災 / 招灾
• 招災攬禍 / 招灾揽祸
• 攘災 / 攘灾
• 放災 / 放灾
• 救災 / 救灾 (jiùzāi)
• 救災恤患 / 救灾恤患
• 旱災 / 旱灾 (hànzāi)
• 月值年災 / 月值年灾
• 樂禍幸災 / 乐祸幸灾
• 橫災飛禍 / 横灾飞祸
• 橫禍非災 / 横祸非灾
• 橫禍飛災 / 横祸飞灾
• 水災 / 水灾 (shuǐzāi)
• 氾濫成災 / 氾滥成灾 (fànlànchéngzāi)
• 求福禳災 / 求福禳灾
• 泛濫成災 / 泛滥成灾 (fànlànchéngzāi)
• 洪災 / 洪灾 (hóngzāi)
• 浮災 / 浮灾
• 消災 / 消灾 (xiāozāi)
• 消災解厄 / 消灾解厄
• 滅頂之災 / 灭顶之灾 (mièdǐngzhīzāi)
• 澇災 / 涝灾 (làozāi)
• 火災 / 火灾 (huǒzāi)
• 火災保險 / 火灾保险
• 火災損失 / 火灾损失
• 火災消防 / 火灾消防
• 災區 / 灾区 (zāiqū)
• 災厄 / 灾厄 (zāi'è)
• 災害 / 灾害 (zāihài)
• 災害救濟 / 灾害救济
• 災患 / 灾患
• 災情 / 灾情 (zāiqíng)
• 災戾 / 灾戾
• 災星 / 灾星 (zāixīng)
• 災梨禍棗 / 灾梨祸枣
• 災殃 / 灾殃 (zāiyāng)
• 災民 / 灾民 (zāimín)
• 災沴 / 灾沴
• 災異 / 灾异 (zāiyì)
• 災病 / 灾病
• 災眚 / 灾眚
• 災祥 / 灾祥
• 災禍 / 灾祸 (zāihuò)
• 災胞 / 灾胞
• 災荒 / 灾荒 (zāihuāng)
• 災變 / 灾变 (zāibiàn)
• 災迍 / 灾迍
• 災障 / 灾障 (zāizhàng)
• 災難 / 灾难 (zāinàn)
• 災黎 / 灾黎 (zāilí)
• 無妄之災 / 无妄之灾 (wúwàngzhīzāi)
• 牢獄之災 / 牢狱之灾 (láoyùzhīzāi)
• 當災 / 当灾
• 眚災 / 眚灾
• 破財消災 / 破财消灾 (pòcáixiāozāi)
• 禍棗災梨 / 祸枣灾梨
• 福盡災生 / 福尽灾生
• 福過災生 / 福过灾生
• 股災 / 股灾 (gǔzāi)
• 自然災害 / 自然灾害 (zìrán zāihài)
• 舞馬之災 / 舞马之灾
• 蝗災 / 蝗灾 (huángzāi)
• 蟲災 / 虫灾 (chóngzāi)
• 血光之災 / 血光之灾 (xuèguāngzhīzāi)
• 被災蒙禍 / 被灾蒙祸
• 賑災 / 赈灾 (zhènzāi)
• 輕災浮難 / 轻灾浮难
• 轉災為福 / 转灾为福
• 迍災 / 迍灾
• 逃災躲難 / 逃灾躲难
• 逃災避難 / 逃灾避难
• 避災 / 避灾
• 防災 / 防灾 (fángzāi)
• 阿災 / 阿灾 (āzāi)
• 降災 / 降灾
• 雨災 / 雨灾 (yǔzāi)
• 雪災 / 雪灾 (xuězāi)
• 非災 / 非灾
• 風災 / 风灾 (fēngzāi)
• 飛災 / 飞灾
• 飛災橫禍 / 飞灾横祸
• 馬舞之災 / 马舞之灾
• 鬧災 / 闹灾
• 鬼災 / 鬼灾

References

• “災”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[2], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

災

(Fifth grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: さい (sai, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: さい (sai, Jōyō)
• Kun: わざわい (wazawai, 災い, Jōyō)^{←わざはひ (wazafafi, 災ひ, historical)}

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
災
さい Grade: 5
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 災 (MC tsoj, “calamity”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sa̠i]

Noun

災(さい) • (sai) 

1. an act of God, a disaster, a calamity

Usage notes

• Seldom used on its own. Most often used in compounds.

Derived terms

• 災害(さいがい) (saigai): disaster, calamity (emphasis on the damage therefrom)
• 災難(さいなん) (sainan): misfortune, disaster, catastrophe
• 災厄(さいやく) (saiyaku)
• 火(か)災(さい) (kasai): conflagration, fire
• 減災(げんさい) (gensai)
• 三災(さんさい) (sansai)
• 震災(しんさい) (shinsai)
• 除災(じょさい) (josai)
• 人災(じんさい) (jinsai)
• 水災(すいさい) (suisai)
• 戦災(せんさい) (sensai)
• 息災(そくさい) (sokusai)
• 天災(てんさい) (tensai, “natural disaster”)
• 発災(はっさい) (hassai)
• 被災(ひさい) (hisai)
• 風災(ふうさい) (fūsai)
• 変災(へんさい) (hensai)
• 厄災(やくさい) (yakusai)
• 労災(ろうさい) (rōsai)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
災
わざわい Grade: 5
kun'yomi

Alternative spellings
災い 禍 殃

/wazapapi/ → /wazaɸaɸi/ → /wazawahi/ → /wazawai/

From Old Japanese. Originally a compound of 業(わざ) (waza, “deed, doings”), in reference to the doings of the 神(かみ) (kami, “gods, spirits”) + 這(は)い (hai, “spreading widely”, literally “crawling”). Compare the etymology of 幸(さきわい) (sakiwai, “good fortune”). Compare also the connotations of the English term act of God in reference to disasters.

Often spelled 災(わざわ)い (wazawai) with the trailing okurigana い (i) to make the reading more explicit.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) わざわい [wàzáwáí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [β̞a̠za̠β̞a̠i]

Noun

災(わざわい) • (wazawai) ^{←わざはひ (wazafafi)?}

1. an act of God, a disaster, a calamity

Idioms

• 災(わざわい)を転(てん)じて福(ふく)と為(な)す (wazawai o tenjite fuku to nasu, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, literally “to turn a calamity into good fortune”)

Korean

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕɛ] ~ [t͡ɕe̞]
• Phonetic hangul: [재/제]

Hanja

災 (eumhun 재앙 재 (jaeang jae))

1. hanja form^? of 재 (“disaster”)

Compounds

• 재앙 (災殃, jaeang, “disaster”)

Vietnamese

Han character

災: Hán Việt readings: tai

1. chữ Hán form of tai (“calamity; disaster”)