不幸而言中

Chinese

 
and; as well as; but (not)
and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)
to have one's words prove to be prophetic
simp. and trad.
(不幸而言中)
不幸 而 言中

Etymology

From the reordering and rebracketing of the following phrase in 《左傳·定公十五年》:

夏五月壬申,公薨。仲尼曰:「賜不幸言而中,是使賜多言者也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
夏五月壬申,公薨。仲尼曰:「赐不幸言而中,是使赐多言者也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE
Xià wǔyuè Rén Shēn, Gōng hōng. Zhòngní yuē: “Cì bùxìng yán ér zhòng, shì shǐ Cì duōyán zhě yě.” [Pinyin]
It was summer, on the day of Ren-Shen of the fifth month, that the Duke died. Zhongni said: "As ill fortune had it, Ci spoke of this, and his words turned out to be true. It is coincidences like this that made Ci speak too much."

Pronunciation


Idiom

不幸而言中

  1. the prophecy unfortunately comes true
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