怨天尤人

yuàntiān-yóurén

idiom #28,391

Meanings

1 to blame Heaven and man; to complain about everything and everyone
2 to grumble about one's lot in life without taking responsibility

Characters

to resent; to complain

heaven; sky; fate

especially; to blame

Examples

失败了就怨天尤人，这种态度很不好。

Shībài le jiù yuàntiānyóurén, zhèzhǒng tàidu hěn bùhǎo.

Blaming everyone else when you fail is a very bad attitude.

与其怨天尤人，不如反思自己的不足。

Yǔqí yuàntiānyóurén, bùrú fǎnsī zìjǐ de bùzú.

Rather than complaining about others, it is better to reflect on your own shortcomings.

Tips

memory

怨 = to resent, 天 = heaven/sky, 尤 = to blame, 人 = people. Picture someone shaking their fist at the sky while pointing fingers at everyone around them.

Stroke Order

怨 yuàn

天 tiān

尤 yóu

人 rén