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災
災 (readings: さい, わざわ; Japanese kanji) means “disaster / calamity”. It is a Grade 5 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 5 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 災害 (disaster).
What does 災 mean?
| Kanji | 災 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | disaster / calamity |
| Readings | さい, わざわ |
| Grade | Grade 5 (Hard) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
How to read 災
災 is read さい or わざわ depending on the word.
Example words with 災
| Example | 災害 (disaster) |
|---|
Practice writing 災 — free
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Updated: 2026-07-14