災難|さいなんsainan[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. nouncalamity; misfortune; disaster
   人生じんせいに災難さいなんは付き物つきもの。↗

   Accidents will happen.

• Synonym災いわざわいWrittenWritten word for calamity or misfortune, common in set phrases like 「口は災いの元」 and 「災い転じて福となす」; 「災難」 stresses a sudden stroke of bad luck.
• Synonym厄やくNeutralBad luck, and the unlucky years said to invite it (cf. 「厄払い」); 「災難」 is a specific misfortune that actually strikes you.
• Synonym災害さいがいNeutralDisasters caused by typhoons, earthquakes, epidemics or human action; 「災難」 focuses on the misfortune you suffer.
• Synonym惨禍さんかWrittenWritten word for the horrific havoc wrought by war or disaster; 「災難」 is a general term for sudden misfortune.
• Synonym禍まがWrittenDuplicate of the entry above: the written word 災い, also written 禍, meaning calamity or bane.
• Synonym災禍さいかWrittenWritten, formal word for calamity, as in 「戦争の災禍」; 「災難」 is the more colloquial choice.
• Synonym災厄さいやくWrittenWritten word for calamity or accident; in everyday speech say 「災難」.
• Synonym厄災やくさいWrittenWritten word for calamity and misfortune; everyday speech uses 「災難」.
• Synonym禍事まがごとWrittenArchaic word for ominous, ill-fated events; rarely used today — say 「災い」 instead.
• Related難なんNeutralDifficulty or disaster, also a fault or flaw, as in 「難を逃れる」; 「災難」 is more concrete.
• Related不幸ふこうNeutralUnhappiness, and a euphemism for a relative's death; 「災難」 focuses on a sudden misfortune that befalls you.
• Related不運ふうんNeutralBad luck in general; 「災難」 points to the specific misfortune you actually run into.
• Related惨事さんじNeutralA horrific, heartbreaking event, as in 「大惨事」; 「災難」 stresses the misfortune that suddenly befalls you.
• Related悲劇ひげきNeutralA tragedy, in drama or figuratively for a tragic event; 「災難」 stresses the unlucky experience itself.
• Related異変いへんNeutralAn abnormal change or strange occurrence, as in 「体の異変」; 「災難」 is the misfortune itself.
• RelatedカタストロフィーWrittenLoanword for a catastrophe, a devastating, ruinous outcome; 「災難」 covers sudden misfortunes of any scale, minor or grave.
• Related危難きなんWrittenWritten word for dangerous calamity or peril, as in 「危難を救う」; 「災難」 is more colloquial.
• Related変災へんさいWrittenRare written word for an unexpected accident or disaster; in daily speech say 「災難」.
• Related厄難やくなんWrittenRare written word for calamity and ill luck; everyday speech uses 「災難」.
• Related凶変きょうへんWrittenWritten word for an ominous upheaval such as an assassination; 「災難」 is broader.
• Related大厄たいやくWrittenWritten word for a great calamity, also the worst of the unlucky years; in daily speech say 「大災難」.
• Related大難だいなんWrittenWritten word for a great disaster, mostly in 「大難を逃れる」; 「災難」 covers misfortunes large and small.
• Related大災たいさいWrittenRare written word for a great disaster; in everyday speech say 「大災害」.
• Related奇禍きかWrittenWritten word for an unforeseen misfortune, as in 「奇禍に遭う」; 「災難」 is more colloquial.
• Antonym幸運こううんNeutralAntonym: good luck or fortune, standing opposite 「災難」 on the scale of luck.

「災難」 is the default for a sudden stroke of bad luck that befalls someone — 「とんだ災難」 — and it fits one person or many alike. Use 「災害」 for disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes and epidemics, natural or man-made; 「惨事」 for a horrific, painful event; 「災い」 for calamity in general, especially in set phrases. The antonym is 「幸運」. Most other entries here are written or rare synonyms; in everyday speech 「災難」 is the safe pick.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 不意ふいに起おこる悪わるい出来事できごと。災わざわい。