WORD DETAIL
災難
さいなん
Examples
Included kanji
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure:
災難(さいなん) is unexpected serious misfortune or disaster.災難に遭うis an event suffered;災難にもis a concessive response target. - Basic usage: A traveler suffers the loss of a wallet; a family responds calmly even to a sudden disaster.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Personal mishap suffered and disaster met with composure
- The first is an idiom for encountering misfortune; inclusive
もin the second emphasizes response even under adversity. Scale depends on context.
- The first is an idiom for encountering misfortune; inclusive

