Definition
遭殃 (zāo yāng) is a colloquial, resultative verb meaning 'to suffer a disaster or get into trouble' — it often implies the sufferer is an innocent victim of circumstances. It's less formal than 遭到/遭受 (which focus on 'meeting with' something unfortunate) and more specific than 受灾 (natural disaster) or 受害 (being harmed by someone).
verb
to suffer a disasterto be hit by a calamity
Examples
- ,遭殃。Nà nián dà hàn, zhuāngjia quán dōu zāo yāng le.That year there was a severe drought, and all the crops suffered.
- ,遭殃。Tā tóuzī shībài, quán jiā gēnzhe zāo yāng.His investment failed, and the whole family suffered as a result.
- ,遭殃。Rúguǒ bù zūnshǒu jiāotōng guīzé, chízǎo huì zāo yāng.If you don't follow traffic rules, you'll eventually get into trouble.
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