雪上加霜

xuě shàng jiā shuāng

HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 7 Uncommon

Save to list

Definitions

1. (idiom) to make matters even worse
2. to add insult to injury

Stop forgetting what you study.
Build recall daily.

Try HanyuGuide's Chinese review system with multiple choice, typed recall, tone-aware practice, and reviews scheduled before memory fades.

Start Free Trial · $49.99 / year

Sign up with Google

Did Google show an error? Sorry about that. Use your email below instead.

Continue with Email

Lifetime for $119.99 Try a practice session

Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 雪中送炭 xuě zhōng sòng tàn 雪中送炭 xuě zhōng sòng tàn lit. to send charcoal in snowy weather (idiom) 比喻在别人困难时给予帮助: lit. to send charcoal in snowy weather (idiom)

Related words

2 items

• 变本加厉 biàn běn jiā lì 变本加厉 biàn běn jiā lì lit. change to more severe (idiom); to become more intense (esp. of shortcoming) 指情况变得比原来更加严重: lit. change to more severe (idiom); to become more intense (esp. of shortcoming)
• 落井下石 luò jǐng xià shí 落井下石 luò jǐng xià shí to throw stones at sb who has fallen down a well (idiom) 比喻乘人之危加以陷害: to throw stones at sb who has fallen down a well (idiom)

Synonyms

1 item

• 火上浇油 huǒ shàng jiāo yóu 火上浇油 huǒ shàng jiāo yóu to pour oil on the fire (idiom); fig. to aggravate a situation 比喻使事态更加严重: to pour oil on the fire (idiom); fig. to aggravate a situation

Usage notes

Collocations

Often used as predicate or attributive; for example: 这真是雪上加霜 (this really makes matters worse).

Common mistakes

Cannot be used for positive situations; it is only for negative events where something adds more trouble.

Example Sentences

1 shown

他的失业对家庭来说真是 雪上加霜 。

His unemployment really added insult to injury for the family.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 雪上加霜

• 加 加 jiā: to add
• 雪 雪 xuě: snow
• 霜 霜 shuāng: frost
• 上 上 shàng: on top