also: たいなん
noun
Refers to a major catastrophe or severe misfortune. Often used in set phrases like 大難を逃れる (escape a great disaster). The cross-reference 小難 (small misfortune) suggests a contrast with minor troubles.
See also: 小難
その地震は国にとって大難だった。
The earthquake was a great disaster for the country.
彼は九死に一生を得て大難を逃れ
He narrowly escaped death and survived the great calamity.
小難 means a minor misfortune or small trouble, contrasting with 大難's sense of a major disaster.
Compound of 大 (great) and 難 (disaster, difficulty). The reading だいなん is the standard on'yomi combination; たいなん is a less common variant.