Word · CEFR C2 · Frequency #14737
hapless
倒霉的，不幸的
deserving or inciting pity
常用于描述命运多舛的人
- 1.
Especially of a person, unfortunate.
尤其指人,不幸的
- 2.
Very unlucky; ill-fated.
非常不幸的；命运多舛的
- 3.
Very miserable, wretched, unhappy, measly, forlorn.
非常悲惨的,凄惨的,不幸的,微不足道的,孤苦伶仃的
- 4.
Devoid of talent or skill.
缺乏才能或技能的
尤其指人,不幸的；非常不幸的；命运多舛的；非常悲惨的,凄惨的,不幸的,微不足道的,孤苦伶仃的；缺乏才能或技能的；倒霉的
In use
The hapless traveler lost his passport and wallet on the first day of the trip.
A hapless pedestrian was splashed by a passing car on the rainy street.
The hapless team lost every match this season despite their efforts.
hapless + noun
The hapless victim never saw it coming.
那个倒霉的受害者从未预见到它的到来。
be hapless
The team was hapless throughout the match.
整场比赛这支队伍都很倒霉。
Common mistakes
He is a hapless student; he will never pass the exam.
Connections
Collocations
- hapless victim
- 不幸的受害者
- The hapless victim had no idea what had hit him.那个倒霉的受害者完全不知道发生了什么。
- hapless bystander
- 倒霉的旁观者
- A hapless bystander was caught in the middle of the fight.一名倒霉的旁观者被卷入了打斗之中。
- hapless passengers
- 不幸的乘客
- The hapless passengers waited hours for the delayed train.那些不幸的乘客为晚点的火车等了几个小时。
- hapless tourists
- 倒霉的游客
- The hapless tourists lost their wallets on the first day of the trip.那些倒霉的游客在旅途第一天就丢了钱包。
- hapless employee
- 倒霉的员工
- The hapless employee was blamed for the mistake he didn't make.那个倒霉的员工替自己没犯的错背了黑锅。
Synonyms
Learner notes
Memory Tip
记法：把 hapless 联想成 happy + less，少了快乐，所以是‘倒霉的、不幸的’。
Context & Register
语域：formal 常见场景：formal writing、literature、journalism hapless 比较常见于书面语和文学、新闻叙事中，多用来形容某人运气不好、遭遇不幸，带有同情或轻微的戏谑语气。日常口语中较少使用，口语更常说 unlucky。
Pronunciation & Spelling
与 hapless 完全押韵的词有 mapless /ˈmæplɪs/ 和 sapless /ˈsæplɪs/，它们都以 /æplɪs/ 结尾。拼写相似的 helpless /ˈhɛlplɪs/ 也有相同的 /plɪs/ 结尾，但重读元音不同，因此不押韵；happy /ˈhæpi/ 开头同为 /hæp/，但结尾完全不同。另有 careless /ˈkɛrləs/ 也以 -less 结尾，但元音为 /ɛ/，同样不押韵。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.