事与愿违

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: shì yǔ yuàn wéi
• English Translation: Things go against one's wishes (to backfire)
• Idiom Composition: 「事」（Events, reality, or the way things turned out）＋「与」（With or compared to）＋「愿」（Wishes, hopes, or intentions）＋「违」（To go against, to violate, or to differ from）
• Meaning: A situation where the outcome or development of events contradicts one's subjective desires or original plans. It implies a sense of disappointment that things did not turn out as hoped.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「事与愿违」 contains the following nuances:

• Gap between Reality and Ideal: The structure of the idiom—事 (reality) 违 (goes against) 愿 (wishes)—highlights the conflict between objective results and subjective expectations.
• Expression of Disappointment: Rather than just describing a sequence of events, this phrase often carries a nuance of lament or regret from the speaker.

3. Usage

「事与愿违」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Failed Plans: Used when carefully prepared plans or anticipated events fail due to unforeseen factors.
  • Example:「本想趁假期去旅行，由于台风来袭，结果事与愿违。」
    （I intended to go on a trip during the holiday, but due to the typhoon, things didn't go as planned.）
• Good Intentions Backfiring: Used to describe ironic situations where an action intended to help actually leads to a worse outcome.
  • Example:「他本想帮忙修电脑，没想到事与愿违，反而把文件都弄丢了。」
    （He wanted to help fix the computer, but things went against his wishes and he ended up losing all the files instead.）
• Unpredictability of Life: Used in more serious contexts to lament how life or fate cannot always be controlled.
  • Example:「人生中常常会有事与愿违的时候，我们要学会接受。」
    （In life, things often go against our wishes, and we must learn to accept that.）

Additional Examples:

1. 虽然我们付出了巨大的努力，但结果却是事与愿违。
   （Although we put in a great deal of effort, the result went against our wishes.）
2. 父母希望他成为医生，但事与愿违，他选择了艺术。
   （His parents hoped he would become a doctor, but contrary to their expectations, he chose the path of art.）
3. 原本以为这笔投资能赚大钱，可惜事与愿违。
   （I originally thought this investment would make a lot of money, but unfortunately, it didn't turn out as expected.）
4. 很多时候现实总是事与愿违，但这并不代表我们要放弃。
   （In many cases, reality goes against our wishes, but that doesn't mean we should give up.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Origin: This idiom originates from a line in the poem You Fen Shi (幽愤诗) by the poet Xi Kang (嵇康) of the Three Kingdoms (三国) period. He wrote, 'Things went against my wishes, and thus I am detained here' (事与愿违，遘兹淹留), expressing his frustration after being imprisoned on false charges.
• Nuance: While it originally expressed a tragic sense of fate, in modern usage, it covers a wide range of situations, from minor disappointments like a change in plans to profound life lessons.
• Frequency: This is a very common expression used frequently in both written and spoken Chinese.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 适得其反 (shì dé qí fǎn): To produce the opposite of the desired effect; to backfire.
  • 大失所望 (dà shī suǒ wàng): To be greatly disappointed because expectations were high.
  • 竹篮打水 (zhú lán dá shuǐ): To make a futile effort.link
  • 枉费心机 (wǎng fèi xīn jī): All efforts are wasted and come to nothing.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 如愿以偿 (rú yuàn yǐ cháng): To have one's wish fulfilled; to get what one wanted.link
  • 心想事成 (xīn xiǎng shì chéng): May all your wishes come true (often used as a blessing).link

6. Summary

事与愿违 (shì yǔ yuàn wéi) describes a reality that does not align with one's hopes or expectations. It is commonly used to express disappointment when facing failed plans, unexpected troubles, or the general unpredictability of life. It is a versatile expression suitable for both casual conversation and formal writing.