三长两短 (sān cháng liǎng duǎn) — (idiom) unexpected misfortune, especially death or serious accident
Definition
Set phrase for an unexpected misfortune — almost always used euphemistically to mean death or a serious accident. Common in the pattern 出三长两短.
idiom
unexpected misfortuneespecially death or serious accident
Examples
- ，三长两短？Nǐ yí gè rén qù nà me wēi xiǎn de dì fāng, wàn yī yǒu gè sān cháng liǎng duǎn zěn me bàn?If you go to such a dangerous place alone, what if something happens to you?
- ，三长两短。Tā nián jì dà le, jiā rén hěn dān xīn tā chū sān cháng liǎng duǎn.He is old, and his family worries that something might happen to him.
- ，三长两短。Zhè cì shǒu shù fēng xiǎn hěn gāo, yī shēng yǐ jīng zuò hǎo le yìng duì sān cháng liǎng duǎn de zhǔn bèi.This surgery is very risky; the doctors have prepared for any unexpected misfortune.
Appears in
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