三长两短

三長兩短
sānchángliǎngduǎn
idiom #18,651

Meanings

  1. 1 unexpected misfortune
  2. 2 unforeseen disaster (euphemism for death)

Examples

Wànyī nǐ yǒu gè sānchángliǎngduǎn, háizi zěnme bàn?
If something terrible were to happen to you, what about the children?
Tā zǒngshì dānxīn jiārén huì yǒu sānchángliǎngduǎn.
She always worries that something bad might happen to her family.

Tips

culture
三长两短 literally refers to the three long and two short boards of a coffin (before the lid is placed). It's a euphemism for death or serious misfortune, often used in the pattern 万一三长两短 ('in case something terrible happens').

Stroke Order

sān
cháng
liǎng
duǎn