adjective / verb HSK 4
unlucky · to have bad luck · out of luck
Meaning
倒霉 describes being unlucky or experiencing misfortune. It's a common colloquial expression used when things go wrong or don't work out as hoped. The term can describe both temporary bad luck (like missing a bus) and more serious unfortunate situations.
Usage
This is an informal, everyday expression used in spoken Chinese. Native speakers often say 真倒霉 (zhēn dǎo méi) meaning 'really unlucky' when complaining about misfortune. It's commonly used in casual conversation but would be considered too informal for formal writing or serious situations.
Examples
- 01我今天真倒霉，钱包丢了，手机也坏了。, , .I'm really unlucky today—I lost my wallet and my phone broke too.
- 02他最近很倒霉，考试没过，女朋友也跟他分手了。, , .He's been very unlucky lately—he failed his exam and his girlfriend broke up with him.
Characters
Common collocations
- 真倒霉really unlucky
- 太倒霉了so unlucky
- 倒霉透了extremely unlucky
- 运气倒霉to have bad luck
Antonyms
Origin
The word literally combines 倒 (to fall) and 霉 (mold/mildew). The imagery suggests that bad luck has 'fallen' upon someone, or that misfortune has grown like mold.