disaster

<<< (ku klux klan) + (fire)
★★★☆☆
7 strokes
DUH

Onyomi

SAI

Mnemonic

You SIGH as 2 disasters strike your birthday party - KKK plus a fire.

Kunyomi

わざわ*い a personal misfortune: house burned down, father had a stroke
★★★☆☆

Jukugo

災害(さいがい)

natural disaster ★★★☆☆
(disaster) + (damage) = 災害 (natural disaster)

natural disaster - earthquake, fire, flood, your mother's flattus, etc.

火災(かさい)

disaster fire ★☆☆☆☆ NP
(fire) + (disaster) = 火災 (disaster fire)

a slightly more newspaper-ish word for a harmful blaze.

災難(さいなん)

disaster ★☆☆☆☆
(disaster) + (difficult) = 災難 (disaster)

this means disaster - not in the sense of earthquakes or tsunami. Disaster in the sense of 'How was your trip to Tahiti?' 'Oh my god, it was a total disaster!!! First we missed the plane, then I got an infection, then on top of all that our hotel was run by zombies!'

災難 carries the sense of a bunch of random unconnected misfortunes. It never rains, but it pours, kind of thing.

Synonyms

disaster
災害    災い    災難   
fire
火事    炎    火災    火