害 means “harm, damage”

がい · gai

Also: injury

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ガイ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 4 · 10 strokes

The story

A roof (宀) over a mouth (口), with a jagged blade (丰) wedged between them: picture harm reaching right into the home. 被害 is damage suffered, and 公害, "public harm", is the pollution that poisoned Minamata Bay.

Used in 被害 (higai, damage), 災害 (saigai, disaster), and 害虫 (gaichuu, pest insect)

More from Law & Order

• 警 warn
• 守 protect
• 処 deal with
• 殺 kill
• 責 responsibility
• 捕 catch
• 危 dangerous
• 険 steep
• 罪 crime
• 犯 offense
• 逃 escape
• 盗 steal

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.