噩运 is heavier and more dramatic than the everyday
倒霉 (dǎoméi, "bad luck") — it suggests calamitous misfortune like a serious illness, accident, or family tragedy. Variant of
厄运 (èyùn) with the same meaning;
噩 emphasizes the ominous, nightmarish quality (compare
噩耗 "shocking news of a death,"
噩梦 "nightmare").
