4 · 40 words

Disasters and emergencies

Earthquakes, floods, fires and storms, and the words for rescue, shelter and rebuilding.

The words for disasters share one character, 灾(zāi): 灾害(zāihài) and 灾难(zāinàn)for the event火灾(huǒzāi)for a fire灾区(zāiqū)for the area hit News reports follow a fairly fixed sequence of verbs — 撤离(chèlí), 救援(jiùyuán), 重建(chóngjiàn) — and in 重建(chóngjiàn) the first character means “again” and is read chóng, not zhòng.

The words

Verb (18)

救援(jiùyuán)to rescue; rescueVerb4

救援(jiùyuán)人员(rényuán)很(hěn)快(kuài)就(jiù)到(dào)了(le)现场(xiànchǎng)。The rescue workers soon reached the scene.

受伤(shòushāng)to be injuredVerb4

他(tā)在(zài)地震(dìzhèn)中(zhōng)受伤(shòushāng)了(le)，幸好(xìnghǎo)伤(shāng)得(de)不(bú)重(zhòng)。He was injured in the earthquake, but luckily not badly.

Separable: 受(shòu)了(le)伤(shāng).

预防(yùfáng)to prevent; to take precautions againstVerb4

地震(dìzhèn)很(hěn)难(nán)预报(yùbào)，但是(dànshì)可以(kěyǐ)做好(zuòhǎo)预防(yùfáng)。Earthquakes are hard to forecast, but you can take precautions.

防止(fángzhǐ)to prevent; to guard againstVerb4

为了(wèile)防止(fángzhǐ)火灾(huǒzāi)，楼(lóu)里(li)不(bù)能(néng)放(fàng)电动车(diàndòngchē)。To prevent fires, electric bikes may not be kept inside the building.

预防(yùfáng) is general preparation; 防止(fángzhǐ) stops one particular bad thing.

避难(bìnàn)to take refuge; to shelterVerb4

附近(fùjìn)的(de)居民(jūmín)都(dōu)到(dào)学校(xuéxiào)的(de)体育馆(tǐyùguǎn)避难(bìnàn)。Local residents all took shelter in the school’s sports hall.

着火(zháohuǒ)to catch fire; to be on fireVerb4

楼下(lóuxià)着火(zháohuǒ)了(le)，快(kuài)跑(pǎo)！There’s a fire downstairs — run!

着(zháo) is read zháo here, as in 睡着(shuìzháo).

灭火(mièhuǒ)to put out a fireVerb4

油(yóu)着火(zháohuǒ)的(de)时候(shíhou)，不(bù)能(néng)用(yòng)水(shuǐ)灭火(mièhuǒ)。When oil catches fire, you mustn’t use water to put it out.

淹(yān)to flood; to submergeVerb4

下(xià)了(le)一(yí)夜(yè)的(de)大(dà)雨(yǔ)，很(hěn)多(duō)街道(jiēdào)都(dōu)被(bèi)淹(yān)了(le)。After a night of heavy rain, many streets were flooded.

逃生(táoshēng)to escape (with one’s life)Verb4

着火(zháohuǒ)的(de)时候(shíhou)要(yào)走(zǒu)楼梯(lóutī)逃生(táoshēng)，不要(búyào)坐(zuò)电梯(diàntī)。In a fire, escape by the stairs — don’t take the lift.

撤离(chèlí)to evacuate; to withdrawVerb4

台风(táifēng)来(lái)之前(zhīqián)，海边(hǎibiān)的(de)居民(jūmín)都(dōu)撤离(chèlí)了(le)。Before the typhoon arrived, everyone living along the coast was evacuated.

失踪(shīzōng)to go missingVerb4

山(shān)里(li)有(yǒu)两(liǎng)个(ge)游客(yóukè)失踪(shīzōng)了(le)，警察(jǐngchá)正在(zhèngzài)找(zhǎo)。Two tourists have gone missing in the mountains, and the police are searching for them.

死亡(sǐwáng)death; to dieVerb4

幸好(xìnghǎo)这(zhè)次(cì)火灾(huǒzāi)没有(méiyǒu)造成(zàochéng)人员(rényuán)死亡(sǐwáng)。Fortunately, nobody died in this fire.

Formal, used in reports; in speech 死(sǐ), or more gently 去世(qùshì).

救(jiù)to save; to rescueVerb3

是(shì)一(yí)个(ge)路过(lùguò)的(de)司机(sījī)救(jiù)了(le)他(tā)。It was a passing driver who saved him.

重建(chóngjiàn)to rebuildVerb4

地震(dìzhèn)以后(yǐhòu)，村(cūn)里(li)的(de)学校(xuéxiào)用(yòng)了(le)一(yì)年(nián)就(jiù)重建(chóngjiàn)好(hǎo)了(le)。After the earthquake, the village school was rebuilt within a year.

应急(yìngjí)to meet an emergency; for emergenciesVerb4

家(jiā)里(li)最好(zuìhǎo)准备(zhǔnbèi)一些(yìxiē)应急(yìngjí)用(yòng)的(de)水(shuǐ)和(hé)食物(shíwù)。It’s best to keep some emergency water and food at home.

应(yìng) is read yìng here, not the yīng of 应该(yīnggāi).

自救(zìjiù)to save oneself; self-rescueVerb4

学校(xuéxiào)教(jiāo)孩子(háizi)们(men)遇到(yùdào)火灾(huǒzāi)时(shí)怎么(zěnme)自救(zìjiù)。The school teaches children how to get themselves to safety in a fire.

疏散(shūsàn)to evacuate (people from a building)Verb4

着火(zháohuǒ)以后(yǐhòu)，商场(shāngchǎng)里(li)的(de)顾客(gùkè)很(hěn)快(kuài)被(bèi)疏散(shūsàn)了(le)。After the fire broke out, the shoppers were quickly evacuated.

Getting people out of a building; 撤离(chèlí) is leaving a whole area.

救灾(jiùzāi)to provide disaster reliefVerb4

很(hěn)多(duō)志愿者(zhìyuànzhě)从(cóng)外地(wàidì)赶来(gǎnlai)救灾(jiùzāi)。Many volunteers hurried in from elsewhere to help with the relief work.

Noun (22)

地震(dìzhèn)earthquakeNoun4

这(zhè)次(cì)地震(dìzhèn)很(hěn)多(duō)人(rén)都(dōu)感觉(gǎnjué)到(dào)了(le)。Many people felt this earthquake.

Measure word: 次(cì) or 场(cháng).

余震(yúzhèn)aftershockNoun4

地震(dìzhèn)以后(yǐhòu)又(yòu)发生(fāshēng)了(le)好(hǎo)几(jǐ)次(cì)余震(yúzhèn)。Several aftershocks followed the earthquake.

洪水(hóngshuǐ)floodNoun4

洪水(hóngshuǐ)来(lái)得(de)太(tài)快(kuài)，很(hěn)多(duō)人(rén)来不及(láibují)离开(líkāi)。The flood came so fast that many people didn’t have time to get away.

干旱(gānhàn)drought; aridNoun4

今年(jīnnián)干旱(gānhàn)很(hěn)严重(yánzhòng)，几(jǐ)个(ge)月(yuè)没(méi)下(xià)一(yì)滴(dī)雨(yǔ)。The drought is serious this year; not a drop of rain has fallen for months.

灾害(zāihài)disaster; calamityNoun4

这个(zhège)地区(dìqū)经常(jīngcháng)发生(fāshēng)自然(zìrán)灾害(zāihài)。Natural disasters often happen in this area.

Mostly of natural events: 自然(zìrán)灾害(zāihài).

灾难(zāinàn)catastrophe; disasterNoun4

这(zhè)场(cháng)大(dà)火(huǒ)对(duì)这个(zhège)小(xiǎo)城(chéng)来说(láishuō)是(shì)一(yì)场(cháng)灾难(zāinàn)。For this small town, the great fire was a catastrophe.

Wider than 灾害(zāihài): any terrible event, also a personal one.

灾区(zāiqū)disaster areaNoun4

很(hěn)多(duō)人(rén)给(gěi)灾区(zāiqū)送去(sòngqu)了(le)衣服(yīfu)和(hé)食物(shíwù)。Many people sent clothes and food to the disaster area.

损失(sǔnshī)loss; damageNoun4

这(zhè)场(cháng)洪水(hóngshuǐ)造成(zàochéng)了(le)很(hěn)大(dà)的(de)损失(sǔnshī)。This flood caused heavy losses.

警报(jǐngbào)alarm; warningNoun4

警报(jǐngbào)响(xiǎng)了(le)，大家(dàjiā)马上(mǎshàng)离开(líkāi)了(le)大楼(dàlóu)。The alarm went off and everyone left the building at once.

火灾(huǒzāi)fire (as a disaster)Noun4

这(zhè)场(cháng)火灾(huǒzāi)是(shì)一(yí)个(ge)烟头(yāntóu)引起(yǐnqǐ)的(de)。The fire was started by a cigarette end.

暴风雪(bàofēngxuě)blizzard; snowstormNoun4

因为(yīnwèi)暴风雪(bàofēngxuě)，机场(jīchǎng)关(guān)了(le)两(liǎng)天(tiān)。Because of the blizzard, the airport was closed for two days.

龙卷风(lóngjuǎnfēng)tornadoNoun4

龙卷风(lóngjuǎnfēng)过(guò)后(hòu)，好(hǎo)几(jǐ)栋(dòng)房子(fángzi)都(dōu)倒(dǎo)了(le)。After the tornado had passed, several houses had collapsed.

海啸(hǎixiào)tsunamiNoun4

大(dà)地震(dìzhèn)有时(yǒushí)会(huì)引起(yǐnqǐ)海啸(hǎixiào)。A big earthquake can sometimes cause a tsunami.

寒潮(háncháo)cold wave; cold snapNoun4

寒潮(háncháo)来(lái)了(le)，气温(qìwēn)一(yì)天(tiān)就(jiù)降(jiàng)了(le)十(shí)度(dù)。A cold snap arrived and the temperature dropped ten degrees in a single day.

帐篷(zhàngpeng)tentNoun4

房子(fángzi)倒(dǎo)了(le)，他们(tāmen)只好(zhǐhǎo)先(xiān)住(zhù)在(zài)帐篷(zhàngpeng)里(li)。Their house had collapsed, so for the time being they had to live in a tent.

Measure word: 顶(dǐng).

物资(wùzī)supplies; goodsNoun4

灾区(zāiqū)最(zuì)需要(xūyào)的(de)物资(wùzī)是(shì)水(shuǐ)和(hé)药品(yàopǐn)。The supplies the disaster area needs most are water and medicine.

暴风雨(bàofēngyǔ)storm; rainstormNoun4

暴风雨(bàofēngyǔ)过(guò)后(hòu)，整(zhěng)个(ge)小区(xiǎoqū)都(dōu)停电(tíngdiàn)了(le)。After the storm the whole estate lost power.

雪灾(xuězāi)heavy snow (as a disaster)Noun4

那(nà)年(nián)冬天(dōngtiān)的(de)雪灾(xuězāi)让(ràng)很(hěn)多(duō)人(rén)回不了(huíbuliǎo)家(jiā)。That winter’s heavy snow left many people unable to get home.

伤员(shāngyuán)injured person; the woundedNoun4

伤员(shāngyuán)很(hěn)快(kuài)被(bèi)送(sòng)到(dào)了(le)附近(fùjìn)的(de)医院(yīyuàn)。The injured were quickly taken to a nearby hospital.

消防(xiāofáng)fire prevention and firefightingNoun4

大楼(dàlóu)每(měi)年(nián)都(dōu)要(yào)做(zuò)一(yí)次(cì)消防(xiāofáng)检查(jiǎnchá)。The building has a fire safety inspection every year.

The fire brigade is reached on 119.

火警(huǒjǐng)fire alarm; report of a fireNoun4

发现(fāxiàn)着火(zháohuǒ)要(yào)马上(mǎshàng)打(dǎ)火警(huǒjǐng)电话(diànhuà)。If you see a fire, call the fire brigade at once.

泥石流(níshíliú)mudslide; debris flowNoun4

连续(liánxù)下(xià)了(le)几(jǐ)天(tiān)大(dà)雨(yǔ)，山(shān)里(li)可能(kěnéng)发生(fāshēng)泥石流(níshíliú)。After several days of heavy rain, there may be mudslides in the mountains.

This list belongs to Nature, weather and environment — nine lists and 361 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.