事与愿违
- Literal
- events go against the wish
- Figurative
- For things to turn out contrary to what one wanted or hoped for; usually said with resignation when a well-meant plan goes awry.
Where does 事与愿违 come from?
It comes from the 《幽愤诗》, the "Poem of Hidden Grief" that Ji Kang, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (state of Wei, Three Kingdoms period), wrote while in prison. In it he looks back on his life and laments that things have gone against his wishes (事与愿违) and that he is held there. Ji Kang was executed soon afterward, and the line remained as the lament of someone watching his fate turn. Today it is used without that tragic weight, for any plan that does not work out as hoped, from a ruined trip to a failed project.
Source (出处): 嵇康《幽愤诗》
How is 事与愿违 used? Two examples
- 本想周末带孩子去海边，事与愿违，下了两天大雨。
I'd planned to take the kids to the beach for the weekend, but it didn't work out: it poured for two days straight.
- 公司想靠加班赶进度，结果事与愿违，大家累病了，项目反而更慢。
The company tried to catch up by piling on overtime, but it backfired: people got sick from exhaustion and the project slowed down even more.
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