Meaning
This phrase literally means 'luck is bad' and describes a state of being unlucky or experiencing misfortune. It combines 运气 (luck, fortune) with 差 (poor, bad) to express that someone's luck is not good. It's commonly used to describe temporary periods of bad luck or unfortunate circumstances.
Usage
This is a casual, everyday expression used in conversation to describe bad luck or unfortunate situations. It can be used to sympathize with someone's misfortune or to explain why things aren't going well. Native speakers often use it when complaining about minor setbacks or when consoling someone. It's neutral in register and appropriate for most contexts except very formal situations.
Examples
- 01我今天运气差，钱包丢了，手机也摔坏了。, , .I'm unlucky today—I lost my wallet and my phone broke too.
- 02他最近运气差，找了好几个月工作都没找到。, .He's been unlucky lately—he's been job hunting for several months without finding anything.
Characters
Common collocations
- 最近运气差recently unlucky
- 运气差到家了extremely unlucky
- 今天运气差unlucky today
Antonyms
Origin
运气 combines 运 (movement, fate) and 气 (vital energy, spirit), reflecting traditional Chinese beliefs about fortune being connected to the flow of qi or energy. The addition of 差 (poor, lacking) creates a straightforward description of poor fortune.