災 厄(さいやく)

さいやく

noun

calamity; disaster; misfortune

1. calamity; disaster; catastrophe; misfortune

A serious misfortune or disaster, often with a sense of being brought by fate or forces beyond human control. More literary and weighty than everyday words for trouble.

災厄(さいやく)に見舞(みま)われる。

To be struck by calamity.

人々(ひとびと)は災厄(さいやく)から身(み)を守(まも)るために祈(いの)った。

People prayed to protect themselves from disaster.

戦争(せんそう)は人類(じんるい)にとって最大(さいだい)の災厄(さいやく)であると言(い)われている。

War is said to be the greatest calamity for humankind.

A compound of 災(さい) (disaster) + 厄(やく) (misfortune/evil). A literary word that conveys a grave, almost fateful quality. Often used in written and formal contexts.

Common collocations

災厄(さいやく)に見舞(みま)われる: to be struck by calamity
災厄(さいやく)を逃(のが)れる: to escape disaster
災厄(さいやく)を払(はら)う: to ward off calamity
災厄(さいやく)から守(まも)る: to protect from disaster

Similar words

災害(さいがい): disaster — the standard term for natural disasters (earthquake, flood, etc.)
厄災(やくさい): calamity — nearly synonymous; reversed character order
惨事(さんじ): terrible event, tragedy — emphasizes the horrifying nature
天災(てんさい): natural disaster — specifically disasters of natural origin

Related Words

Compare: 災害(さいがい) (disaster)

Compare: 厄災(やくさい) (calamity)

Compare: 惨事(さんじ) (terrible event, tragedy)

Compare: 天災(てんさい) (natural disaster)

general

Added 2026.4.9 2:31 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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