不速之客
bù sù zhī kè
an uninvited guest
Character by character
不bù
not
not
速sù
invited
invited
之zhī
of
of
客kè
guest
guest
Example
我们正吃着饭，门外来了一位不速之客：楼下的邻居来借酱油。
We were in the middle of dinner when an unexpected visitor turned up: the neighbour from downstairs wanting to borrow some soy sauce.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
From the 《周易》 (需卦): 有不速之客三人来，敬之终吉, three uninvited guests arrive; treat them with respect and all ends well. 速 is the old sense “to invite”. Often humorous today, even of a cat or a mouse.
Learn this in Lesson 36 · HSK 5–6: 去朋友家做客 (Visiting a Chinese home)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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