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雪上加霜 (xuě shàng jiā shuāng) — (idiom) adds insult to injury; to make matters even worse

Definition

A vivid idiom for 'to add insult to injury' — a bad situation is already difficult, and then something worse makes it even harder. Used like 真是∼ or 只会∼.

idiom
adds insult to injuryto make matters even worse

Examples

  • ，，，雪上加霜。
    Tā zuì jìn yùn qì bù hǎo, xiān shì shēng bìng, yòu yù dào chē huò, zhēn shì xuě shàng jiā shuāng.
    He's had bad luck lately — first he got sick, then he was in a car accident. It really adds insult to injury.
  • ，雪上加霜，。
    Nǐ zài zhè ge shí hou pī píng tā, zhī huì xuě shàng jiā shuāng, ràng tā gèng nán guò.
    Criticizing him at this moment will only make matters worse and make him even sadder.
  • ，，雪上加霜。
    Wǒ men běn lái jiù hěn máng, lǎo bǎn yòu zēng jiā le xīn rèn wu, zhēn shì xuě shàng jiā shuāng.
    We were already very busy, and then the boss added new tasks — that's truly adding insult to injury.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
彗
彗huì雪xuě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

雪 pairs 雨, showing rain, with 彗, giving the sound.

Open 雪 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

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

加 pairs 力 and 口. In one explanation 力 is strength and 口 is the mouth, meaning exaggeration; in another 力 is plowing effort and 口 is breath or exclamation, meaning extra effort.

Open 加 →

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
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
相
相xiāng霜shuāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

霜 has 雨 (rain) on top for weather and 相 (xiāng) below for the sound.

Open 霜 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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