ankong Posted January 5, 2004 at 12:28 PM Report Posted January 5, 2004 at 12:28 PM 糟糕，遗憾，倒霉，可惜，不幸 I'm not quite clear about those words. It's hard for me to differentiate them. I don't know which situations should I use those words, could anyone please explain and give me the simple example? Thank you! Quote
skylee Posted January 5, 2004 at 01:16 PM Report Posted January 5, 2004 at 01:16 PM Examples - 糟糕!! 我的錢包丟了!! 這事件損害了股東的利益,董事會深感抱歉和遺憾. 我怎麼總是碰到這樣的男/女人!! 真是倒了十八輩子的霉!! 歌手梅艷芳這麼年輕就因病不幸去世,十分可惜. Quote
Quest Posted January 5, 2004 at 04:08 PM Report Posted January 5, 2004 at 04:08 PM 糟糕 -- mess up 糟糕！我的钱包丢了。 Sh*t(I [am] messed up)! I lost my wallet. 他把事情弄糟(糕)了！ He messed up the thing/matter. 遗憾 -- regret 我们很遗憾大会没开成。 We regret that the meeting was not held. 倒霉 -- very bad luck! 他今天真倒霉，把钱包给丢了。 He has very bad luck today, (because) he lost his wallet. 可惜 -- "too bad"/regrettable 可惜相爱的人总是不能相近。 It is too bad that lovers never get to be together. 不幸 -- unfortunate 真不幸，她这么年青就去世了。 It was very unfortunate that she died young. Quote
ankong Posted January 7, 2004 at 11:30 AM Author Report Posted January 7, 2004 at 11:30 AM Thank you very much for your example, but I still not clear. From the example I think 遗憾 and 可惜, 糟糕 and 倒霉 can use in the same situation, is it right? Quote
skylee Posted January 7, 2004 at 12:06 PM Report Posted January 7, 2004 at 12:06 PM I would say that 遺憾 is much more formal than 可惜. The difference is about that between "it is regrettable" and "it is a pity". As to 倒霉 and 糟糕, I would say the former is used on bad things that happen to a person, whereas the latter can also be used on bad things that are caused by oneself. I can use these terms and I know the differences. But I don't think I've explained them well. Sorry. Quote
Quest Posted January 7, 2004 at 06:21 PM Report Posted January 7, 2004 at 06:21 PM They have similar meanings. However, 可惜 is often used to describe things that are valuable but somehow lost or unachievable. 遗憾 describes something that was supposed to happen, but did not. 倒霉 is used more to describe a person. 糟糕 is usually for things and events, but sometimes for persons, too. Their main difference is that 糟糕 indicates something bad is caused by someone or something (messed up by) and 倒霉 is just an adjective to say a person is unlucky. Skylee is right, they these words are not interchangeable, but it's hard to explain to you their differences. Quote
ankong Posted January 12, 2004 at 05:52 AM Author Report Posted January 12, 2004 at 05:52 AM I tried to understand how to use them in each situation, but it's very difficult for me to differentiate them. Thank you for your helping again! Quote
Quest Posted January 12, 2004 at 06:29 AM Report Posted January 12, 2004 at 06:29 AM Hmm, it's hard to get the idea across in formal definitions. I guess you just have to see these words used in different situations again and again to be able to differentiate their subtle differences. A good way to do it would be to search for each word on google and read the paragraphs containing these words. Quote
Quest Posted January 12, 2004 at 06:58 AM Report Posted January 12, 2004 at 06:58 AM Ok I will give it one more shot to help you differentiate them. 遗憾 is one's own feeling -- You regret that you did not do something you should have done. 我很遗憾我没有帮上忙。I regret/am sorry (my internal feeling) that I have not been much help. 可惜 is an evaluation on another thing/event/person that one has sympathy for. So it decribes something/someone other than one's self. 我的新手机不见了，真可惜。Too bad I've lost my new cellphone. 可惜 modifies the event -- lost cellphone, not "I" the person. In the previous example 遗憾 modifies the person "I". 倒霉- a resentment of bad luck. it has to do with luck. The keyword is luck. 我碰上你真倒霉。It's really bad luck that I meet you. 糟糕- just something bad happened or messed up; something that you should have a considerable control on. luck has no role here. 糟糕，我把手机弄坏了。So messed up, I've broken my cell phone. 不幸 is a more serious word to describe bad luck/unfortunate. Usually used for something big like deaths, heavy losses and disasters. 倒霉 is often used for trivial things. Losing a life is 不幸, losing a cellphone is 倒霉, losing $10000 in the casino is 倒霉. Meeting a killer a 不幸, meeting a punk is 倒霉. Also 倒霉 implies acceptance of something that has already happened, just bad luck, nothing can be done about it. 不幸 implies it should not have been like that, think about 不应该。 I hope this would help you clear it up a bit. Quote
ever00t Posted May 4, 2004 at 03:44 PM Report Posted May 4, 2004 at 03:44 PM 糟糕==too bad,awful->我的数学很糟糕->My math is awful. 遗憾==a pity,regret->很遗憾我不能来了->I regret to say i cannot come. 倒霉==be down on one's luck,worse luck->我今天上午倒霉,我丢失了钱包->I was bad luck this morning that i lost my wallet. 可惜==pity-->可惜<--->遗憾,The difference between 可惜 and 遗憾 is the last one is formal pharse meanwhile the fist one is very spoken. 不幸==adversity,misfortune-->noun--->我们对地震造成的不幸非常抱歉--->We are so sorry about the misfortune made from the eartquake. Quote
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