hoạ chí vô đơn

Definition

1. Idiom (Thành ngữ):
   • Misfortunes never come singly / It never rains but it pours: This idiom expresses the idea that bad luck or unfortunate events tend to occur in clusters or succession, rather than in isolation. It implies that one misfortune is often followed by another.

Usage Examples

• Idiom:
  • Đúng là hoạ chí vô đơn, vừa mất việc lại bị ốm. (It's true that misfortunes never come singly; I just lost my job and then got sick.)
  • Họ gặp phải hoạ chí vô đơn: xe hỏng, rồi đến lượt nhà bị mất điện. (They experienced "it never rains but it pours": the car broke down, and then the house lost power.)

Advanced Usage

• This idiom is often used in a resigned or philosophical tone to comment on a string of bad luck. It can serve to express sympathy for someone experiencing multiple difficulties.
  • Thương quá, hoạ chí vô đơn, gia đình cô ấy gặp toàn chuyện không may. (It's so sad; misfortunes never come singly, her family has encountered nothing but unfortunate events.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hoạ vô đơn chí: This is the more common, full form of the idiom from which "hoạ chí vô đơn" is derived. It carries the identical meaning.
  • Nhớ câu "hoạ vô đơn chí" mà lo. (Remember the saying "misfortunes never come singly" and worry.)

Synonyms

• When it rains, it pours: An English idiom with a nearly identical meaning.
• Bad luck comes in threes: A related superstitious saying.
• A series of misfortunes: A literal descriptive phrase.

Related Idioms

• Phúc bất trùng lai: Literally "good fortune does not come twice." This is the second part of the classical proverb, often paired with "hoạ vô đơn chí" to form a complete contrasting idea: misfortunes come in multiples, but great blessings do not repeat.
  • "Hoạ vô đơn chí, phúc bất trùng lai" là một câu nói đầy triết lý. ("Misfortunes never come singly, good fortune does not come twice" is a very philosophical saying.)