凶多吉少

xiōngduō-jíshǎo

idiom #35,270

Meanings

HSK 5

医生的表情告诉我们，情况凶多吉少。

Yīshēng de biǎoqíng gàosù wǒmen, qíngkuàng xiōngduō-jíshǎo.

The doctor's expression told us the situation was looking very bad.

HSK 7-9

失联这么久，恐怕凶多吉少。

Shīlián zhème jiǔ, kǒngpà xiōngduō-jíshǎo.

Out of contact this long - I'm afraid the outlook is grim.

HSK 7-9

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 xiōngduō-jíshǎo.

Putting to sea in that storm, you'd have to say it bodes ill.

memory

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

凶 xiōng

多 duō

吉 jí

少 shǎo