Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Chinese term or phrase:
不如意事
English translation:
things do not go as you would like them to
Added to glossary by
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
Aug 20, 2008 19:29
15 yrs ago
Chinese term
不如意事
Chinese to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Common Expression
人生不如意事十之八九，但生命的品质不在于八九，而在于一二。
Proposed translations
12 hrs
Nigel Jones
China
China
Native in English
China
If not the best. One of the best!!!
Native in: English 
Works in: Chinese to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
16
Selected
things do not go as you would like them to
Although, in life, 80-90% of things do not go as you would like them to, what is important is the other 20%
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Note added at 14 hrs (2008-08-21 09:45:33 GMT)
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I looked again and think a better sentence would be.
Although, in life, 80-90% of things do not go as you would like, life's value is in the other 20%
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Note added at 17 hrs (2008-08-21 12:39:31 GMT)
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LOL! very profound Wenjer!
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Note added at 14 hrs (2008-08-21 09:45:33 GMT)
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I looked again and think a better sentence would be.
Although, in life, 80-90% of things do not go as you would like, life's value is in the other 20%
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Note added at 17 hrs (2008-08-21 12:39:31 GMT)
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LOL! very profound Wenjer!
Note from asker:
| Thanks. You make my day! |
| Well, Nigel, life's value is just like translation quality - it lies in the other 20%. With the 80-90%, there are always something which doesn't go as you would like. ;) |
| You see, Nigel, a good friend of mine, who is very successful in our walk of living, once said some very true words: There isn't such a thing as "perfect" a translation, not even one which most people regards a "good" translation. It is just the same with our life. There is always a catch in everything with which we feel 得意. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to everyone who participated in proposing a good answer. Nigel's translation for this term is most closest to the original."
37 mins
ricochu0311
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Native in Chinese
Hong Kong
English to Chinese Translator, HONG KONG
Native in: Chinese 
Works in: English to Chinese, Chinese to English, Chinese, and 1 more.
adversities
FYI.
"bad things" 也可以, 简单直接
"misfortune", "misadventure", "mishap"这几个词比较注重运气, 不知道楼主喜不喜欢;
"hardship"不很准确, 因为踩了蕉皮仆倒在地可以是adversity, 但不太算是hardship
"bad things" 也可以, 简单直接
"misfortune", "misadventure", "mishap"这几个词比较注重运气, 不知道楼主喜不喜欢;
"hardship"不很准确, 因为踩了蕉皮仆倒在地可以是adversity, 但不太算是hardship
Note from asker:
| 谢谢你的建议。人生确实有几分运气的成分，不如意只是不甚愉快，mishaps常常发生，但大多不严重，adversities就严重了。 |
21 mins
Pierrick Jaouen, CFA
France
France
Native in English
France
Financial and business translator
Native in: English (Variants: UK, US) , French (Variants: Swiss, Standard-France, Belgian)
Works in: Arabic to English, Chinese to English, Japanese to English, and 13 more.
is not a sinecure
sinecure: 闲职, 闲差
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Note added at 41 นท. (2008-08-20 20:10:04 GMT)
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life is no sinecure...
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Note added at 41 นท. (2008-08-20 20:10:04 GMT)
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life is no sinecure...
5 hrs
MinnieHuyang
United States
United States
Native in Chinese
Specializes in field
United States
fiat lux
Native in: Chinese
Works in: Spanish to Chinese, Chinese to Spanish, English to Chinese, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
go against one's will/wish
While in 8 or 9 cases out of 10 life goes against one's will, its value lies yet beyond the 8 or 9, within the 1 or 2.
Example sentence:
虽然事情进行得不如意, 玛丽还是继续尝试。
Though things went against Mary, she went on trying.
Reference:
Note from asker:
| 谢谢！有几分against的意思，但这个词稍微强烈了些。 |
7 hrs
orientalhorizon
Native in Chinese
Banking,law,commerce,engineering
Native in: Chinese
Works in: English to Chinese, Chinese to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
21
mishap; mischance; more than half empty
就单纯的字词对应而言，从语气上来说，大概mishap或mischance较为接近。mishap一般指较小、不那么严重的事情；而mischance则可大可小。平常说“不如意事”，语气较轻，但实际所指的事可大可小，但说话者并不把它看得有多严重。
上面的“more than half empty” 不是对译，仅是filler而已。就翻译而言，从全句来译，不妨综合一下，不去过多地考虑字词对译，如：
1. For most of the time, life may be a glass 80~90% empty, but the real life lies in the "10~20% full" instead of the "80~90% empty".
2. 8~9 out of 10 times, the luck star will not shine over you, but your life lies not in the 8 or 9, instead, it lies in the 1 or 2.
仅举两例建议译法，抛砖引玉吧。
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Note added at 7 hrs (2008-08-21 03:16:42 GMT)
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上面的“但说话者并不把它看得有多严重”===》“只是，说话者并不把它看得有多严重”
上面的“more than half empty” 不是对译，仅是filler而已。就翻译而言，从全句来译，不妨综合一下，不去过多地考虑字词对译，如：
1. For most of the time, life may be a glass 80~90% empty, but the real life lies in the "10~20% full" instead of the "80~90% empty".
2. 8~9 out of 10 times, the luck star will not shine over you, but your life lies not in the 8 or 9, instead, it lies in the 1 or 2.
仅举两例建议译法，抛砖引玉吧。
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Note added at 7 hrs (2008-08-21 03:16:42 GMT)
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上面的“但说话者并不把它看得有多严重”===》“只是，说话者并不把它看得有多严重”
Note from asker:
| Thanks! I like the word "mishaps." |
4 hrs
William He
China
China
Native in Chinese
China
18 Years! IT, Business and Technical!
Native in: Chinese (Variants: Traditional, Simplified)
Works in: English, English to Chinese, Chinese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
trouble and disappointments
十之八九的也就是小的麻烦和些许失望，如果全是不幸之类，就太悲惨了点！
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Note added at 11 hrs (2008-08-21 07:21:48 GMT)
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呵呵，同感，难怪有“人来到世间就是为吃苦的”一说！可能就是指这个情况吧！
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Note added at 12 hrs (2008-08-21 07:47:45 GMT)
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凡事看开，小的不如意未尝不可以是调剂！
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Note added at 13 hrs (2008-08-21 09:24:49 GMT)
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oui! -:
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Note added at 11 hrs (2008-08-21 07:21:48 GMT)
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呵呵，同感，难怪有“人来到世间就是为吃苦的”一说！可能就是指这个情况吧！
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Note added at 12 hrs (2008-08-21 07:47:45 GMT)
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凡事看开，小的不如意未尝不可以是调剂！
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Note added at 13 hrs (2008-08-21 09:24:49 GMT)
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oui! -:
Note from asker:
| 谢谢。不如意事指的是不完全顺遂人意的事，当然不可能时时刻刻都有顺遂人意的事，所以一点的麻烦、些许的失望，一切小小的瑕疵都是差堪人意的，不甚满意、尚可接受。有那么一二如意事，确实应该满足了。 |
| 古代人有三件得意事：洞房花烛夜、金榜题名时、他乡遇故知。现代的人对这三件事已经很难得意，因为几乎事事都有那么一点瑕疵，即是自己满意也不能表现得太得意，否则他乡的故知也会变成冤家死对头。吃尽苦头才会明白应该珍惜人生中偶尔来的那么一点甜头。 |
| À quelque chose malheur est bon. :D |
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