災 難(さいなん)

さいなん

noun

calamity, disaster, misfortune

1. calamity, disaster, misfortune, catastrophe

An unfortunate event or accident that causes great damage, suffering, or hardship.

思(おも)わぬ災難(さいなん)に遭(あ)った。

I encountered an unexpected misfortune.

災難(さいなん)は忘(わす)れた頃(ころ)にやってくる。

Disasters come when you least expect them.

Proverb

それは災難(さいなん)でしたね。

That was an unfortunate incident.

災難(さいなん) refers to an unfortunate event or misfortune that befalls someone, often suddenly and beyond their control. It can range from minor mishaps to major catastrophes.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

災難(さいなん)に遭(あ)う: to encounter misfortune
災難(さいなん)を逃(のが)れる: to escape disaster
思(おも)わぬ災難(さいなん): unexpected misfortune
災難(さいなん)が降(ふ)りかかる: misfortune befalls (someone)
災難(さいなん)が続(つづ)く: misfortunes continue

SIMILAR WORDS:

災害(さいがい): disaster (typically natural disasters — earthquakes, typhoons, floods)
不幸(ふこう): misfortune, unhappiness (broader, includes personal hardship)
惨事(さんじ): tragic event, catastrophe (emphasizes horror/severity)
厄災(やくさい): calamity (more literary/formal)

USAGE:
それは災難(さいなん)でしたね (That was quite a misfortune) is a common sympathetic response when hearing about someone's bad experience. The word often implies that the person is not at fault.

general

Added 2026.1.13 23:00 · Revised 2026.5.30 4:12

04000/04161_sainan