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凶多吉少

xiōngduōjíshǎo
idiom #35,270

Meanings

  1. 1 bodes ill rather than well
  2. 2 more likely to end badly than well
  3. 3 the outlook is grim

Examples

失联这么久，恐怕凶多吉少。
Shīlián zhème jiǔ, kǒngpà xiōngduōjíshǎo.
Out of contact this long — I'm afraid the outlook is grim.
医生的表情告诉我们，情况凶多吉少。
Yīshēng de biǎoqíng gàosù wǒmen, qíngkuàng xiōngduōjíshǎo.
The doctor's expression told us the situation was looking very bad.
在那场风暴中出海，可以说是凶多吉少。
Zài nà chǎng fēngbào zhōng chūhǎi, kěyǐ shuō shì xiōngduōjíshǎo.
Putting to sea in that storm, you'd have to say it bodes ill.

Tips

memory
Read as a ratio: 凶 (ill) 多 (many), 吉 (auspicious) 少 (few). Literally 'lots of bad, little good' — a weather report for fate.

Stroke Order

凶 xiōng
多 duō
吉 jí
少 shǎo