Chinese–EnglishWith examples

不妙

bù miào · bu miao

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. (of a turn of events) not too encouraging
  2. far from good
  3. anything but reassuring
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In a conversation

0:26 cartoon

Running late

  1. Dengdeng

    我们(wǒmen)快(kuài)迟到(chídào)了(le)，可是(kěshì)地铁(dìtiě)一直(yīzhí)没(méi)来(lái)。

    We're almost late, but the subway hasn't come.

  2. Liangliang

    不妙(bùmiào)，手机(shǒujī)上(shàng)说(shuō)前面(qiánmiàn)的(de)站(zhàn)出问题(chūwèntí)了(le)。

    Uh-oh. My phone says a station ahead has a problem.

  3. Dengdeng

    情况(qíngkuàng)不妙(bùmiào)啊(a)，那(nà)坐(zuò)公共汽车(gōnggòngqìchē)吧(ba)？

    This looks bad. Then take the bus?

  4. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)看(kàn)，公共汽车站(gōnggòngqìchēzhàn)排(pái)了(le)很(hěn)长(cháng)的(de)队(duì)！

    Look, there's a very long queue at the bus stop!

  5. Dengdeng

    那边(nàbian)有(yǒu)很多(hěnduō)共享单车(gòngxiǎngdānchē)，我们(wǒmen)骑车(qíchē)去(qù)吧(ba)！

    There are lots of shared bikes over there. Let's cycle!

  6. Liangliang

    好主意(hǎozhǔyi)！哎呀(āiyā)，我的(wǒde)手机(shǒujī)没电(méidiàn)了(le)，不妙(bùmiào)！

    Good idea! Oh no, my phone is out of battery. Uh-oh!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

他(tā)一(yí)看(kàn)情(qíng)况(kuàng)不(bú)妙(miào)，就(jiù)赶(gǎn)紧(jǐn)离(lí)开(kāi)了(le)。

As soon as he saw that the situation was not good, he hurriedly left.

02

天(tiān)气(qì)预(yù)报(bào)说(shuō)今(jīn)晚(wǎn)有(yǒu)暴(bào)雨(yǔ)，听(tīng)起(qǐ)来(lái)不(bú)妙(miào)。

The weather forecast says there will be a rainstorm tonight; it sounds anything but reassuring.

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Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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