| 三长两短 |
sān cháng liǎng duǎn |
unexpected misfortune / unexpected accident / sudden death |
| 三 |
Sān |
surname San |
| 三 |
sān |
three / 3 |
| 长 |
cháng |
long / (bound form) length / (bound form) strong point; forte / (bound form) to be good at / (literary) surplus; spare (Taiwan pr. [zhang4]) |
| 长 |
zhǎng |
chief / head / elder / to grow / to develop / to increase / to enhance |
| 两 |
liǎng |
two / both / some / a few / tael, unit of weight equal to 50 grams (modern) or 1⁄16 of a catty 斤 (old) |
| 短 |
duǎn |
short / brief / to lack / weak point / fault |