不妙 búmiào not too encouraging
(of a turn of events) not too encouraging; far from good; anything but reassuring
How to remember 不妙: 不 not + 妙 mysterious = not too encouraging.
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How it is used
- 'Not good, ominous', of a situation taking a bad turn - 情况不妙 (qíngkuàng búmiào) things look bad, 大事不妙 (dàshì búmiào) something's badly wrong.
- Slightly dramatic/literary; signals a sense of impending trouble.