不祥之兆 (bù xiáng zhī zhào) — bad omen, portent of misfortune

Definition

A literary four-character phrase for an 'ill omen' — a sign that misfortune is coming. It carries a classical, written tone and is used to flag ominous events (natural signs, dreams, behavior).

noun
bad omenportent of misfortune

Examples

  • ，不祥之兆。
    Wū yā zài wū dǐng jiào, gǔ rén rèn wéi zhè shì bù xiáng zhī zhào.
    Crows cawing on the roof — ancient people considered this a bad omen.
  • ，不祥之兆。
    Dì zhèn qián dòng wù xíng wéi yì cháng, cháng bèi kàn zuò bù xiáng zhī zhào.
    Abnormal animal behavior before an earthquake is often seen as a portent of disaster.
  • ，不祥之兆。
    Tā lián xù zuò le jǐ gè è mèng, jué de shì bù xiáng zhī zhào.
    He had several nightmares in a row and felt it was a bad omen.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
示示shìaltar
Sound part声符shēngfú
羊
羊yáng祥xiáng
Same sound today

祥 pairs 示 (altar) with 羊 for its sound. Originally it was just 羊, and 示 was added later to distinguish it.

Open 祥 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 兆 shows two 人 (person) parts on either side of a 水 (water) part: two people fleeing with their backs to a flood.

Open 兆 →

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