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灾难 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
灾难zāinàndisasterHSK 6, n, rank #2798, Hard
灾难zāinàncatastropheHSK 6, n, rank #2798, Hard
zāinàn(zai1nan4) T1
  1. 1disaster
  2. 2catastrophe
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March 24, 2026
灾难(災難)zāinàn(zai1nan4)

灾难 (zāi nàn) refers to a significant and often sudden event that causes great damage, destruction, or suffering. It is commonly used in contexts related to natural disasters, accidents, or catastrophic events that impact communities or individuals.

Frequency#2798DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 灾难 is often discussed in relation to historical events, such as earthquakes or floods, that have shaped communities and led to significant changes in policies regarding disaster response and prevention.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'zai' (like a 'sigh') of relief when disaster is averted, and 'nan' sounds like 'none' as in 'none left standing' after a calamity. Visualize a scene where a large storm cloud looms, threatening to unleash disaster, reminding you of the duality of the characters: 灾 (disaster) and 难 (difficulty).

Meanings of 灾难

zāinàn(zai1nan4)
1disaster
2catastrophe
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 灾难

灾难Simplified
災難Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2798Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 灾难

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Podcast: 灾难

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AI Study Notes for 灾难

Quick Contrast

灾害 (zāihài) refers to a broader category of harmful events, while 灾难 (zāinàn) emphasizes the severity and impact of such events.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'zai' (like a 'sigh') of relief when disaster is averted, and 'nan' sounds like 'none' as in 'none left standing' after a calamity. Visualize a scene where a large storm cloud looms, threatening to unleash disaster, reminding you of the duality of the characters: 灾 (disaster) and 难 (difficulty).

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 灾难 with other disaster-related terms like 事故 (accident) or 灾害 (disaster event). This word is neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in news reports or discussions about climate-related issues.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 灾难 connects well with other vocabulary related to safety, emergency response, and environmental issues. Focus on using it in sentences that describe specific disasters or in discussions about preparedness.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 灾难 is often discussed in relation to historical events, such as earthquakes or floods, that have shaped communities and led to significant changes in policies regarding disaster response and prevention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 灾难 in contexts that require a less severe term, such as using it interchangeably with 事件 (event). For example, saying '这只是一个小灾难' (This is just a small disaster) can be misleading; instead, use '事件' for less serious occurrences.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 灾难

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Component Characters

灾zāidisaster
HSK 67 strokes火
View full entry
难nándifficult (to...)
HSK 310 strokes又
View full entry

Write 灾难

灾
难

Practice writing 灾难 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 灾难

灾难 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

调查已经展开，以查明____是如何发生的。

An investigation is underway to find out how the disaster happened.

Example Sentences for 灾难 (10)

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1
调查已经展开，以查明灾难是如何发生的。

tiáo chá yǐ jīng zhǎn kāi， ， yǐ chá míng zāi nán shì rú hé fā shēng。

An investigation is underway to find out how the disaster happened.
2
他详细描述了那个灾难性夜晚所发生的事。

tā xiáng xì miáo shù le nà gè zāi nán xìng yè wǎn suǒ fā shēng de shì。

He gave a detailed account of what happened on the fateful night.
3
飞机快到机场时，本来有故障的左引擎突然熄火，引发了灾难。

fēi jī kuài dào jī cháng shí， ， běn lái yǒu gù zhàng de zuǒ yǐn qíng tū rán xī， huǒ ， yǐn fā le。

The faulty left-hand engine failed catastrophically as the aircraft approached the airport.
4
那给动物们带来了可怕的灾难。

nà gěi dòng wù mén dài lái le kě pà de zāi nán。

It has caused terrible suffering to animals.
5
那起事故仿佛是过去灾难的重现。

nà qǐ shì gù fǎng fó shì guò qù zāi nán de zhòng xiàn。

The accident has echoes of past disasters.
6
投资者预料会出现灾难，正在储备大量现金。

tóu zī zhě yù liào huì chū xiàn zāi nán， ， zhèng zài chǔ bèi dà liáng xiàn。

Investors were storing up a lot of cash in anticipation of disaster.
7
他猜测说有些人也许能够察觉重大灾难。

tā cāi cè shuō yǒu xiē rén yě xǔ néng gòu chá jué zhòng dà zāi nán。

He conjectured that some individuals may be able to detect major calamities.
8
总统将这场灾难说成是天灾。

zǒng tǒng jiāng zhè cháng zāi nán shuō chéng shì tiān zāi。

The President described the disaster as an act of God.
9
对咖啡价格的影响对生产商而言是灾难性的。

duì kā fēi jià gé de yǐng xiǎng duì shēng chǎn shāng ér yán shì zāi nán xìng de。

The effect on coffee prices has been disastrous for the producers.
10
对桑德罗来说，新的一年带来的是灾难。

duì sāng dé luó lái shuō， ， xīn de yī nián dài lái de shì zāi。

For Sandro, the new year brought disaster.

Cultural Notes for 灾难

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, 灾难 is often discussed in relation to historical events, such as earthquakes or floods, that have shaped communities and led to significant changes in policies regarding disaster response and prevention.

Frequently Asked Questions about 灾难

You can say '这场地震是一个巨大的灾难' (This earthquake is a huge disaster).