noun
distress of war; sufferings caused by war
Refers to the hardships, suffering, and distress brought about by war or military conflict. Somewhat formal or literary.
戦乱の時代、民衆は兵難に苦しんだ。
During the war-torn era, the people suffered from the distress of war.
兵難を避けて、多くの人が故郷を離れた。
Many people left their hometowns to escape the sufferings of war.
Compound of 兵 (へい, 'soldier, war') and 難 (なん, 'difficulty, hardship'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination directly conveys the idea of war-related distress.