下场

下場
xiàchang
noun HSK 7-9 #5,622

Meanings

  1. 1 fate; end result (usually bad)
  2. 2 what becomes of someone

Characters

Literally 'the way one exits the stage' - how your story ends.

Examples

HSK 3
Nǐ zài zhèyàng xiàqu, xiàchang búhuì hǎo.
If you keep this up, it won't end well for you.
HSK 7-9
Tānguān de xiàchang dōu hěn cǎn.
Corrupt officials all come to a bad end.
HSK 7-9
Zhè jiùshì bèipàn péngyou de xiàchang.
This is what happens when you betray your friends.

Tips

usage
下场 almost always implies a negative outcome - you wouldn't say 他的下场很好. It's the Chinese equivalent of 'this is how it ends for you' or 'you'll get what's coming to you.' The phrase 没有好下场 ('won't come to a good end') is extremely common as a warning. Note the neutral tone on (chang, not chǎng) - the verb-sense xiàchǎng (to leave the stage) has a different reading.

Stroke Order

xià
chǎng