摘要：“Hapless”源自中古英语，由“hap”（运气、命运）和后缀“-less”（无）组成。“Hap”来自古英语“hæp”，意为“偶然”或“幸运”，与古诺斯语“happ”（好运）同源，与“happy”（快乐）、“happen”（发生）等词有亲缘关系。因此，“ha

hapless

英 ['hæpləs] 美 ['hæpləs]

adj.倒霉的；不幸的

“Hapless”源自中古英语，由“hap”（运气、命运）和后缀“-less”（无）组成。“Hap”来自古英语“hæp”，意为“偶然”或“幸运”，与古诺斯语“happ”（好运）同源，与“happy”（快乐）、“happen”（发生）等词有亲缘关系。因此，“hapless”字面意为“没有运气的”。这个词在14世纪进入英语，最初描述因命运不济而受苦的人，后逐渐演变为现代意义上的“不幸”或“倒霉”。其语感柔和而哀婉，常带有一丝同情。

◉外刊例句

① 《The Guardian》 (2023年12月8日)

The hapless tourists were stranded after missing the last ferry of the day.

这些倒霉的游客错过了当天的最后一班渡轮后被困住了。

② 《The New York Times》 (2024年5月14日)

A hapless candidate stumbled through the debate, unable to counter sharp attacks.

一位不幸的候选人在辩论中笨拙应对，无法反击尖锐的攻击。

◉经典名著

① 《哈姆雷特》（Hamlet）——威廉·莎士比亚 (约1600年)

The hapless Ophelia, lost to grief, wandered by the river’s edge.

不幸的奥菲莉娅因悲伤而迷失，在河边徘徊。

② 《悲惨世界》（Les Misérables）——维克托·雨果 (1862年)

The hapless Fantine sold her hair to feed her starving child.

可怜的芳汀卖掉了头发来喂养她饥饿的孩子。

◉Usage Examples

(1) The real reason doesn't ascribe to the hapless employee, but for boss' emotion.

(2) His hapless lover was knocked down by a car.

(3) All of them were hapless victims of this hurricane.

(1) 真正的原因并不在于那个倒霉的员工,而是老板的情绪。

(2) 他那不幸的恋人被汽车撞倒了。

(3) 他们都是这场飓风的不幸受害者。

◉Usage Notes

Use the adjective hapless to describe someone unlucky and deserving of pity, like the hapless used car buyer who gives in to the fast-talking salesperson.

The word hapless traces all the way back to the Old Norse word happ, meaning “chance, good luck.” Combine this with the suffix -less (“lacking”) and hapless means “unlucky” or “ill-fated.” A traveler who goes to Moscow and briefly gets lost on the subway? Just a tourist. A traveler who goes to Moscow, accidentally eats food he is allergic to, somehow loses all his money, and by chance gets on a train destined for Mongolia? Definitely hapless.

1. [ADJ 形容词]（人）运气不好的，不幸的 A hapless person is unlucky. [ADJ n] [FORMAL 正式]

...his hapless victim.

落入他手中的不幸的受害者

来源：学无用的英语