# 幸灾乐祸

xìng zāi lè huò

Take pleasure in another’s misfortune

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Enjoy calamity and delight in disaster

**Traditional Chinese:** 幸災樂禍

**Register:** Critical · expressive

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Condemn delight at someone else’s setback.

Relief that harm has stopped is different.

## Understanding the expression

The expression turns another person’s trouble into a source of pleasure. It describes gloating after a rival loses, a colleague struggles, or someone suffers an embarrassing failure. Its tone is morally critical because sympathy has been replaced by enjoyment. Feeling relieved when a harmful action is stopped is different from celebrating needless suffering. A useful example makes clear that the pleasure concerns the misfortune itself, rather than a fair or protective outcome.

## Examples

他摔倒了，别幸灾乐祸。

### Traditional Chinese

他摔倒了，別幸災樂禍。

tā shuāi dǎo le ， bié xìng zāi lè huò 。

He fell; do not take pleasure in his misfortune.

对手失利，她没有幸灾乐祸。

### Traditional Chinese

對手失利，她沒有幸災樂禍。

duì shǒu shī lì ， tā méi yǒu xìng zāi lè huò 。

She did not gloat over her rival’s defeat.

同事被辞退，有人竟幸灾乐祸。

### Traditional Chinese

同事被辭退，有人竟幸災樂禍。

tóng shì bèi cí tuì ， yǒu rén jìng xìng zāi lè huò 。

Some people actually rejoiced when their colleague was dismissed.

幸灾乐祸只会伤害友谊。

### Traditional Chinese

幸災樂禍只會傷害友誼。

xìng zāi lè huò zhī huì shāng hài yǒu yì 。

Taking pleasure in others’ misfortune damages friendship.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%B9%B8%E7%81%BD%E6%A8%82%E7%A6%8D)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=939&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [休戚相关 xiū qī xiāng guān Have closely linked interests and fortunes ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xiu-qi-xiang-guan)

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- [虚怀若谷 xū huái ruò gǔ Remain modest and receptive to others ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xu-huai-ruo-gu)

- [虚与委蛇 xū yǔ wēi yí Deal with someone through feigned civility ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xu-yu-wei-yi)

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