惨事(さんじ)

さんじ
noun
tragedy; catastrophe; disaster
formalemotion
1. tragedy; catastrophe; disaster
A horrific event that causes major loss of life or suffering, especially an accident or violent incident. Formal and emotive; common in news headlines.
惨事(さんじ)を防(ふせ)ぐ。
To prevent a tragedy.
あの事故(じこ)は大(だい)惨事(さんじ)となった。
That accident turned into a major tragedy.
戦争(せんそう)の惨事(さんじ)を二度(にど)と繰(く)り返(かえ)してはならない。
We must never repeat the tragedies of war.

The first kanji 惨(さん) means "miserable, cruel," giving the word a strong emotional weight. Reserved for genuinely catastrophic events — not for mere setbacks.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 悲劇(ひげき): tragedy — broader, includes fictional and personal tragedies
  • 災害(さいがい): disaster — usually natural disasters; neutral in tone
  • 大事故(だいじこ): major accident — concrete and factual, less emotive

Related Words

Compare: 悲劇(ひげき) (tragedy)
Compare: 災害(さいがい) (disaster)
Compare: 災難(さいなん) (calamity, disaster, misfortune)
Compare: 災厄(さいやく) (calamity)
Compare: 厄災(やくさい) (calamity)
Compare: 大災害(だいさいがい) (major disaster)
general
Added 2026.5.30 12:10 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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