幸灾乐祸

幸災樂禍

xìngzāi-lèhuò

idiom #13,248

Meanings

1 to take pleasure in other people's misfortune; schadenfreude

Characters

to rejoice; fortunate

disaster; calamity

happy; to enjoy

misfortune; disaster

Examples

HSK 1

别幸灾乐祸了，帮帮他吧。

Bié xìngzāi-lèhuò le, bāngbang tā ba.

Stop gloating and help him.

HSK 5

看到对手失败，他忍不住幸灾乐祸。

Kàndào duìshǒu shībài, tā rěnbuzhù xìngzāi-lèhuò.

Seeing his rival fail, he couldn't help feeling schadenfreude.

Tips

memory

Literally 'rejoice-disaster-delight-misfortune'. Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of the German word 'Schadenfreude' -- taking joy in others' suffering.

Stroke Order

幸 xìng

灾 zāi

乐 lè

祸 huò