不如意事，十常八九
bù​rú​yì​shì​shí​cháng​bā​jiǔ

things rarely go as one hopes

  1. 不如意 bù​rú​yì
    unsatisfactory
    not in accordance with one's wishes; disappointing; failing to satisfy
  2. 事 shì noun
    matter
    matter; affair; thing; event
  3. ， shí
    non-Chinese
  4. 十 shí numeral
    ten
    the number ten; 10
  5. 常 cháng adverb
    often
    often; frequently; usually; always
  6. 八 bā numeral
    eight
    eight; 8
  7. 九 jiǔ numeral
    nine
    the number nine