📖 Meaning
This idiom originally describes a child who is born sickly and prone to frequent illnesses. It is also used more broadly to describe someone who constantly encounters misfortunes, hardships, and setbacks in life.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom comes from Chapter 32 of Cao Xueqin's classic Qing Dynasty novel 'Dream of the Red Chamber' (《红楼梦》). In the story, a character remarks that Lin Daiyu has always been a sensitive and thoughtful girl, and moreover she has been plagued by frequent illnesses since childhood. The speaker notes it would be inauspicious to celebrate her birthday while simultaneously preparing burial clothes for someone else. The phrase '三灾八难' originated from Buddhist terminology referring to various calamities and tribulations.
💡 Example Usage
这孩子从小三灾八难的，能活到现在真不容易。
This child has been plagued by one illness after another since childhood; it's truly remarkable that he has survived until now.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 三灾八难
- Pinyin: sān zāi bā nàn
- Literal Translation: three disasters, eight calamities
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4