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災厄 (さいやく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
calamity ; disaster ; catastrophe
A somewhat formal or literary term for a large-scale misfortune or disaster, often implying a tragic or fateful event. Less common in everyday speech than 災害 (さいがい) or 災難 (さいなん).
Kanji 厄 unlucky, misfortune, bad luck Similar words 災さい 害がい 災害 is the most common word for 'disaster' (natural or man-made) in everyday use. 災厄 is more literary and emphasizes the tragic or fateful aspect.
災さい 難なん 災難 often refers to a personal misfortune or accident, while 災厄 suggests a larger-scale calamity.
Etymology Compound of 災 (さい, 'disaster') and 厄 (やく, 'misfortune'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination has been used in literary Japanese to denote a great calamity.
やく
を
予よ
言げん
する
か
の
よう
な
不ふ
吉きつ
な
夢ゆめ
を
見み
た
。
He had an ominous dream, as if foretelling a disaster.