natural disasters and anomalies; calamities
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
natural disasters and anomalous phenomena (interpreted as ominous portents)
archaicHistorically used in Chinese cosmology to describe events like floods, earthquakes, and eclipses seen as heavenly warnings to rulers. Still used in academic and historical contexts.
Shǐ史
shū书
zhōng中
cháng常
cháng常
jì记
zài载
gè各
zhǒng种
zāi灾
yì异
xiàn现
xiàng象
。
Historical records often document various calamities and anomalous phenomena.
Zài在
gǔ古
dài代
，
zāi灾
yì异
bèi被
shì视
wéi为
shàng上
tiān天
duì对
tǒng统
zhì治
zhě者
de的
jǐng警
gào告
。
In ancient times, natural disasters were seen as warnings from heaven to rulers.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Dì地
zhèn震
hé和
rì日
shí食
dōu都
shǔ属
yú于
zāi灾
yì异
de的
fàn范
chóu畴
。
Earthquakes and solar eclipses both fall under the category of calamities.