'不幸' literally combines 'not' (不) and 'fortune, happiness, blessing' (幸), forming a compound meaning 'misfortune' or 'tragedy'. It describes an unfortunate event, situation, or outcome — often implying sorrow, loss, or hardship. Unlike standalone adjectives like 'bad' or 'sad', 不幸 carries a formal, literary, or empathetic tone and is frequently used in news reports, obituaries, or serious discussions.

The word functions flexibly: as a noun ('a misfortune occurred'), it often appears after classifiers (e.g., 一件不幸) or verbs like 发生 or 遭遇; as an adjective ('unfortunate'), it typically precedes nouns (e.g., 不幸的事故) or follows 是/显得/感到. It’s rarely used in casual speech — native speakers tend to say 倒霉 or 可怜 instead for everyday disappointment or pity.