jíxiōng: 吉凶 - Good and Bad Fortune / Auspicious and Inauspicious

• Keywords: jixiong, 吉凶, good luck bad luck Chinese, fortune misfortune Chinese, auspicious inauspicious, Chinese divination, I Ching, feng shui, Chinese superstition, fate, destiny
• Summary: 吉凶 (jíxiōng) is a fundamental Chinese concept representing the duality of good fortune (吉) and bad fortune (凶). More than just “luck,” it refers to the inherent potential for a positive or negative outcome in a situation, day, or decision. Deeply rooted in Chinese philosophy, divination practices like the I Ching (《易经》) and Feng Shui (风水), understanding 吉凶 is key to navigating life by embracing the auspicious and avoiding the inauspicious.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jíxiōng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: The duality of good fortune (auspiciousness) and bad fortune (inauspiciousness).
• In a Nutshell: 吉凶 isn't about random luck like winning the lottery. It's a deeper concept from Chinese philosophy that suggests every situation, decision, or moment has an inherent potential for a good (吉) or bad (凶) outcome. It’s a framework for understanding and predicting the nature of events, often through fortune-telling or analyzing cosmic patterns, in order to make the wisest possible choice.

• 吉 (jí): Auspicious, lucky, good. The top part (士) can be seen as a scholar or gentleman, and the bottom part (口) is a mouth. One traditional interpretation is a “good word” or a “favorable pronouncement,” leading to its meaning of auspiciousness.
• 凶 (xiōng): Inauspicious, dangerous, evil, fierce. This character is highly pictorial. It shows a pit or a trap (凵) with an 'X' marking it, clearly warning of danger.
• When combined, 吉凶 (jíxiōng) doesn't just mean “good and bad,” but encapsulates the entire spectrum of fortune. It represents the two opposing poles of fate that are central to traditional Chinese thought and decision-making.

The concept of 吉凶 is a cornerstone of traditional Chinese cosmology and is far more profound than the Western idea of “good luck/bad luck.” In the West, “luck” is often viewed as a random, unpredictable force. You might be “lucky” to find a parking spot or “unlucky” to get caught in the rain. 吉凶, however, is treated as an intrinsic quality that can be analyzed, predicted, and even influenced. It’s a core principle in:

• The I Ching (《易经》 or Book of Changes): This ancient divination text is built around interpreting hexagrams to determine the 吉凶 of a given situation, offering guidance on whether to act or wait.
• Feng Shui (风水): The entire practice of Feng Shui is about arranging one's living and working space to maximize auspicious energy (吉) and mitigate inauspicious energy (凶).
• Date Selection (择日): Traditionally, and still for many today, choosing a date for a major life event—like a wedding, starting a business, or moving house—involves consulting an almanac or a fortune-teller to find an “auspicious day” (吉日) and avoid an “inauspicious day” (凶日).

This reflects a worldview where humans are not merely subject to random chance, but can actively align themselves with the favorable currents of the cosmos to improve their outcomes. It's about wisdom and harmony, not just blind luck.

While it may sound ancient, the concept of 吉凶 remains relevant in modern life, often in the background of decisions.

• Fortune-Telling and Divination: It is the primary term used when visiting a temple or fortune-teller. You might ask them to `算一算吉凶` (suàn yī suàn jíxiōng) – “calculate the good and bad fortune” of a potential marriage, career move, or investment.
• Formal and Literary Language: The term is common in formal speech, literature, and historical dramas. It’s often used in idioms to convey a sense of gravity and uncertainty about a significant undertaking.
• Describing Risky Situations: When facing a high-stakes situation with an unknown outcome, people might say `此行吉凶未卜` (cǐ xíng jíxiōng wèibǔ), meaning “The outcome of this journey is yet unknown.”

Its connotation is neutral, as it simply describes the two possibilities. The context determines whether the speaker is hopeful or worried.

• Example 1:
  • 我想请您帮我算一下我今年事业的吉凶。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng qǐng nín bāng wǒ suàn yīxià wǒ jīnnián shìyè de jíxiōng.
  • English: I'd like to ask you to help me determine the good and bad fortune of my career this year.
  • Analysis: This is a classic sentence one would use when consulting a fortune-teller. `算 (suàn)` means “to calculate,” which frames fortune as something that can be predicted.
• Example 2:
  • 这次手术的吉凶，就要看医生的技术和病人的意志了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì shǒushù de jíxiōng, jiù yào kàn yīshēng de jìshù hé bìngrén de yìzhì le.
  • English: The outcome (lit. good or bad fortune) of this surgery depends on the doctor's skill and the patient's willpower.
  • Analysis: Here, 吉凶 is used to mean “outcome” in a very serious context where both positive and negative results are possible.
• Example 3:
  • 在古代，将军出征前都要卜卦，预测此战的吉凶。
  • Pinyin: Zài gǔdài, jiāngjūn chūzhēng qián dōu yào bǔguà, yùcè cǐ zhàn de jíxiōng.
  • English: In ancient times, before a general set out for battle, he would always perform divination to predict the outcome of the campaign.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the historical and cultural role of 吉凶 in making major decisions. `卜卦 (bǔguà)` is the act of divination.
• Example 4:
  • 此行吉凶难料，你一定要多加小心。
  • Pinyin: Cǐ xíng jíxiōng nán liào, nǐ yīdìng yào duōjiā xiǎoxīn.
  • English: It's hard to predict the outcome of this trip, you must be extra careful.
  • Analysis: `难料 (nán liào)` means “hard to predict.” This phrase is a common warning for a risky or dangerous undertaking.
• Example 5:
  • 人生的吉凶祸福，谁又能完全掌握呢？
  • Pinyin: Rénshēng de jíxiōng huòfú, shéi yòu néng wánquán zhǎngwò ne?
  • English: The fortunes and misfortunes of life, who can truly control them completely?
  • Analysis: This is a philosophical sentence. It pairs 吉凶 with `祸福 (huòfú)`, a similar term, for emphasis.
• Example 6:
  • 他不信命运，认为万事吉凶皆在人为。
  • Pinyin: Tā bùxìn mìngyùn, rènwéi wànshì jíxiōng jiē zài rénwéi.
  • English: He doesn't believe in fate; he thinks that the good or bad outcome of all matters depends on human effort.
  • Analysis: This sentence contrasts the idea of fate with `人为 (rénwéi)` - “man-made” or “up to human action,” showing the two opposing views on fortune.
• Example 7:
  • 无论吉凶，我们都要一起面对。
  • Pinyin: Wúlùn jíxiōng, wǒmen dōu yào yīqǐ miànduì.
  • English: Regardless of good fortune or bad, we must face it together.
  • Analysis: `无论…都… (wúlùn…dōu…)` is a common structure for “no matter what…” Here, 吉凶 represents all possible outcomes.
• Example 8:
  • 打开这封信之前，我心里一直在想它的吉凶。
  • Pinyin: Dǎkāi zhè fēng xìn zhīqián, wǒ xīnlǐ yīzhí zài xiǎng tā de jíxiōng.
  • English: Before opening this letter, I kept wondering about its outcome (whether the news would be good or bad).
  • Analysis: Shows a personal, internal moment of anxiety about an unknown but important piece of news.
• Example 9:
  • 这本旧历书上写着每天的吉凶宜忌。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn jiùlì shū shàng xiězhe měitiān de jíxiōng yíjì.
  • English: This old almanac lists the auspicious/inauspicious nature and the dos/don'ts for each day.
  • Analysis: `宜忌 (yíjì)` refers to what is advisable and what is taboo, a concept directly linked to the day's 吉凶.
• Example 10:
  • 这件事情的吉凶未卜，我们还是先不要太乐观。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiàn shìqíng de jíxiōng wèibǔ, wǒmen háishì xiān bùyào tài lèguān.
  • English: The outcome of this matter is still uncertain, so we shouldn't be too optimistic just yet.
  • Analysis: `吉凶未卜 (jíxiōng wèibǔ)` is a very common four-character idiom (chengyu) meaning “the outcome is not yet determined.”

• False Friend: “Luck” vs. “吉凶”
  • A common mistake is to use 吉凶 for everyday luck. You would not say `我找到了一个停车位，真是吉凶！` (I found a parking spot, what jixiong!).
  • Correct: For random, everyday luck, use `运气 (yùnqì)`. `我今天运气很好 (Wǒ jīntiān yùnqì hěn hǎo)` - “My luck is good today.”
  • Rule of Thumb: Use `运气` for personal, short-term luck. Use `吉凶` for analyzing the inherent potential of significant, future events or situations with serious consequences.
• Incorrect Usage: Describing a Past, Known Outcome
  • It's generally incorrect to describe a simple, known past event with 吉凶.
  • Incorrect: `我昨天的考试吉凶很好。` (My exam's jixiong yesterday was good.)
  • Correct: `我昨天考得很好。` (I did well on my exam yesterday.)
  • Explanation: 吉凶 is about the *potential* or the *uncertainty* before the outcome is known. Once the result is clear, you describe the result itself.

• 运气 (yùnqì): Luck, fortune. Refers to more personal, random, and everyday chance. It's the most common word for “luck.”
• 命运 (mìngyùn): Destiny, fate. A much broader concept concerning the entire predetermined course of one's life.
• 祸福 (huòfú): Disaster and good fortune. A close synonym for 吉凶, often used together in set phrases like `祸福相依` (misfortune and fortune are interdependent).
• 风水 (fēngshuǐ): The Chinese art of geomancy. The entire practice is based on arranging environments to improve one's 吉凶.
• 卜卦 (bǔguà): To practice divination (e.g., with I Ching coins or yarrow stalks). The goal of 卜卦 is to determine the 吉凶 of a matter.
• 八字 (bāzì): The “Eight Characters” of one's birth date and time, used in Chinese astrology to analyze one's 命运 (destiny) and inherent 吉凶.
• 吉祥 (jíxiáng): Auspicious; lucky charm. This word focuses only on the positive (吉) side of fortune. An object can be 吉祥, but not 吉凶.
• 凶险 (xiōngxiǎn): Perilous, dangerous. This word focuses only on the negative (凶) side of fortune. A journey can be described as 凶险.