灾 (zāi) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 灾 (zāi) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 灾 (zāi) means "disaster; calamity". It is an HSK Level 5 character, with 7 strokes and the radical 火.

Q: How do you write 灾 stroke by stroke?

灾 has 7 strokes. The radical is 火. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 灾 and 灭?

灾 (zāi) and 灭 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 灾?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 火. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 灾?

Common words containing 灾 include: 火灾 (huǒ zāi) — fire disaster; 水灾 (shuǐ zāi) — Flood; 灾难 (zāi nàn) — disaster; catastrophe.

How to Write 灾

The character 灾 (zāi) is written with 7 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 火 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

灾 is pronounced zāi in Mandarin Chinese. It means disaster; calamity.

As an HSK Level 5 character, 灾 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 灾

火灾 huǒ zāi

fire disaster

水灾 shuǐ zāi

Flood

灾难 zāi nàn

disaster; catastrophe

Example Sentences

这里发生了火灾。

zhè lǐ fā shēng le huǒ zāi

A fire broke out here.

那个城市有水灾。

nà ge chéng shì yǒu shuǐ zāi

That city has a flood.

这是一场巨大的灾难。

zhè shì yī cháng jù dà de zāi nàn

This is a huge disaster.

Similar Characters

灭 miè

灯 dēng

灰 huī

Practice Writing 灾 (zāi)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 灾 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 灾

What does 灾 (zāi) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 灾 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 灾 and 灭?

What mistakes do learners make writing 灾?

What common words use 灾?

How to Write 灾 (zāi)