Definition

1. Noun:
   • Natural calamity / Natural disaster: An extreme, sudden event caused by natural forces of the Earth that results in significant damage to property, loss of life, and disruption to human life and production. This includes phenomena such as storms, floods, droughts, and earthquakes.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Khu vực này thường xuyên hứng chịu thiên tai. (This area frequently suffers from natural disasters.)
  • Chính phủ đang nỗ lực khắc phục hậu quả của thiên tai. (The government is trying to overcome the consequences of the natural calamity.)
  • Chúng ta cần có biện pháp đề phòng thiên tai. (We need to have measures to prevent natural disasters.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "thiên tai" is often used in formal, academic, and news contexts to discuss large-scale environmental events. It carries a connotation of severe, widespread impact.
• It is commonly seen in phrases related to management and response, such as "quản lý thiên tai" (disaster management) and "phòng chống thiên tai" (disaster prevention and control).

Variants and Related Words

• Thảm họa (n): catastrophe, disaster. This word can be broader, sometimes including man-made disasters, whereas "thiên tai" specifically denotes natural origins.
  • Trận động đất là một thảm họa thiên nhiên khủng khiếp. (The earthquake was a terrible natural catastrophe.)

Synonyms

• Natural disaster
• Natural calamity
• Act of God (a legal and insurance term)

Related Idioms and Common Phrases

• "Thiên tai, địch họa": A common paired phrase meaning "natural disasters and human-made calamities" (where "địch họa" implies disasters caused by enemies or human conflict). It emphasizes facing all forms of major catastrophes.
  • Đất nước đã trải qua nhiều thiên tai, địch họa. (The country has gone through many natural and man-made disasters.)

noun

1. natural calamity