uk1 lau6 gim1 fung4 je6 jyu5屋漏兼逢夜雨
Jyutpinguk1 lau6 gim1 fung4 je6 jyu5
Yaleūk lauh gīm fùhng yeh yúh
Definition
Misfortunes never come singly; calamities occur one after another.
colloquialemotionother
How it's used
This idiom is used to describe a situation where multiple negative events happen in quick succession. It carries a sense of helplessness or frustration, often used when someone feels overwhelmed by a streak of bad luck. While it is a formal idiom, it is frequently used in casual conversation to add emphasis to a series of unfortunate events.
Examples
The company went bankrupt and I got dumped, talk about misfortunes never coming singly.
Why do misfortunes never come singly, and why is nothing going smoothly?
Related words
Common phrases
truly a case of misfortunes never coming singly
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase for minor inconveniences, as it implies a significant or overwhelming series of problems. It is reserved for situations where the cumulative effect of the bad luck is genuinely distressing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
