Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
巛 + fire
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of river and fire. Disaster of river and fire.
Symbolism
Disaster, calamity, misfortune. Represents disaster.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
無事息災
ぶじそくさい
safe and healthy; health and longevity; safe and healthy
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; 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; natural disaster
無病息災
むびょうそくさい
sound health; 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; health and longevity
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; health and longevity
幸災楽禍
こうさいらくか
delighting in the misfortune of others; 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
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?
Yes. 災 (disaster, calamity, woe, curse, evil) has a clear positive meaning and no embarrassing alternate readings, making it a solid tattoo choice.
Explore by meaning:kanji for disaster · kanji for calamity · kanji for curse · kanji for evil