Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of river and fire. Disaster of river and fire.
Symbolism
Disaster, calamity, misfortune. Represents disaster.
Component Breakdown
巛 + fire
Words & Expressions
Words written with 災
Four-Character Compounds
無事息災
ぶじそくさい
safe and healthy; health and longevity
一病息災
いちびょうそくさい
one who experiences a chronic ailment takes better care of his health and lives longer
天災地変
てんさいちへん
natural disaster
無病息災
むびょうそくさい
sound health
延命息災
えんめいそくさい
health and longevity; enjoying a long and healthy life being untouched by disaster
息災延命
そくさいえんめい
health and longevity; enjoying a long and healthy life being untouched by disaster
幸災楽禍
こうさいらくか
delighting in the misfortune of others
Proverbs & Idioms
災い転じて福となす
わざわいてんじてふくとなす
Turn misfortune into fortune
Making the best of a bad situation
Anime & Manga
金装のヴェルメイユ～崖っぷち魔術師は最強の厄災と魔法世界を突き進む～
Vermeil in Gold
A well-known work with 災 in its Japanese title.
ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうかⅣ 深章 厄災篇
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV Part 2
A well-known work with 災 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 災 mean in Japanese?
災 means disaster, calamity, woe, curse, evil.
How do you read 災?
On'yomi: サイ (SAI). Kun'yomi: わざわ.い (wazawai).
How many strokes does 災 have?
災 has 7 strokes. Its radical is 火 (fire).
Is 災 a good kanji for a tattoo?
災 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means disaster, calamity, woe, curse, evil. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.