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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。
倒霉的，不幸的
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
倒霉的，不幸的
deserving or inciting pity
The hapless victim never saw it coming.
那个倒霉的受害者从未预见到它的到来。
常用于描述命运多舛的人
尤其指人,不幸的
Especially of a person, unfortunate.
非常不幸的；命运多舛的
Very unlucky; ill-fated.
非常悲惨的,凄惨的,不幸的,微不足道的,孤苦伶仃的
Very miserable, wretched, unhappy, measly, forlorn.
缺乏才能或技能的
Devoid of talent or skill.
The hapless traveler lost his passport and wallet on the first day of the trip.
那个倒霉的旅行者在旅行的第一天就丢了护照和钱包。
A hapless pedestrian was splashed by a passing car on the rainy street.
一个不幸的行人在雨街上被经过的汽车溅了一身水。
The hapless team lost every match this season despite their efforts.
尽管这支倒霉的队伍很努力，但这个赛季他们输掉了每一场比赛。
The hapless victim never saw it coming.
那个倒霉的受害者从未预见到它的到来。
The team was hapless throughout the match.
整场比赛这支队伍都很倒霉。
Not this
He is a hapless student; he will never pass the exam.
Use this
He is a hopeless student; he will never pass the exam.
hapless 意为“倒霉的”，强调运气不好；而 hopeless 意为“没有希望的”。句中强调无法通过考试，表达的是绝望而非运气，故应用 hopeless。
Not this
He is a hapless.
Use this
He is a hapless person.
hapless 是形容词，不能单独作名词使用，需后接名词如 person、victim 等。中文中“倒霉的”可作名词，但英语中形容词不能直接作主语或宾语。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
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。
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。
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。
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。
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。
Use hapless naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
记法：把 hapless 联想成 happy + less，少了快乐，所以是‘倒霉的、不幸的’。
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。
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。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.