fu2 meng6苦命
Jyutpingfu2 meng6
Yalefú mehng
Definition
Having a bitter fate; unfortunate or ill-fated.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Focuses on the perceived hardship of someone's life trajectory rather than just a temporary bad situation. It often carries a sense of pity or fatalism, suggesting that the person is destined to suffer regardless of their efforts. It is frequently used to describe people who work extremely hard but never seem to get ahead.
Examples
He has had a bitter life, nothing he does goes smoothly.
You aren't someone with a miserable fate, why are you always looking so gloomy?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being unlucky or having a bad day. It describes a long term state of being, so using it to describe a single failed exam or a missed bus sounds overly dramatic and unnatural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
