Definition
遭难 is a formal, literary separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to meet with misfortune' or 'to come to grief'. The syllables 遭 and 难 can be separated to insert a time, frequency, or result: for example, 遭了难 ('suffered a disaster') or 遭过大难 ('have experienced a great calamity'). It is typically used in written or serious spoken contexts, not casual conversation.
v.o.
to meet with misfortuneto suffer a disaster (formal)
Examples
- 遭难。Nà chǎng zhànzhēng ràng wúshù píngmín zāo nàn.That war caused countless civilians to suffer disaster.
- ，。Tā niánqīng shí zāo guò yí cì dà nàn, hòulái cái mànmàn hǎo qǐlái.He suffered a great calamity when young and only slowly recovered later.
- ，遭难。Rúguǒ shìxiān zuò hǎo zhǔnbèi, jiù bù róngyì zāo nàn le.If you prepare in advance, it's not easy to meet with misfortune.
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