How do you use "Blessing in disguise" in a sentence?

Losing that job was a blessing in disguise—I found a much better one. The rain was a blessing in disguise; it cooled everything down. Getting rejected was a blessing in disguise.

Blessing in disguise

Q: What does "Blessing in disguise" mean?

Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good An apparent misfortune that ultimately has positive consequences. The 'disguise' is the initial appearance of bad luck that hides the eventual benefit.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

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Meaning: Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good

看似坏事实际上是好事

Algo que parece malo al principio pero resulta ser bueno

最初は悪いことに思えるが、結果的に良いことになるもの

처음에는 나쁘게 보이지만 결과적으로 좋은 것으로 밝혀지는 일

An apparent misfortune that ultimately has positive consequences. The 'disguise' is the initial appearance of bad luck that hides the eventual benefit.

表面上的不幸最终带来积极的结果。'伪装'是指最初看起来像坏运气的外表，掩盖了最终的好处。

Una aparente desgracia que finalmente tiene consecuencias positivas. El 'disfraz' es la apariencia inicial de mala suerte que oculta el beneficio final.

一見すると不運に見えるが、最終的にはプラスの結果をもたらすもの。「偽装」とは、最終的な恩恵を隠す不運の最初の見かけのこと。

겉보기에는 불운처럼 보이지만 결국 긍정적인 결과를 가져오는 일. '위장'은 최종적인 이득을 감추고 있는 처음의 불운한 외양을 뜻한다.

Examples

Losing that job was a blessing in disguise—I found a much better one.
失去那份工作其实是塞翁失马——我找到了一份好得多的工作
Perder ese trabajo fue una bendición disfrazada: encontré uno mucho mejor
あの仕事を失ったのは結果的に良かった——もっといい仕事が見つかった
그 직장을 잃은 게 전화위복이었다—훨씬 좋은 곳을 찾았거든.
The rain was a blessing in disguise; it cooled everything down.
那场雨其实是因祸得福，让一切都凉快了下来
La lluvia fue un mal que vino para bien; refrescó todo
雨は思わぬ幸運だった。すべてを涼しくしてくれた
비가 온 것이 뜻밖의 행운이었다. 모든 것이 시원해졌으니까.
Getting rejected was a blessing in disguise.
被拒绝其实是一件好事
Que me rechazaran resultó ser algo bueno
断られたのは結果的に良かった
거절당한 것이 결과적으로 전화위복이 됐다.

Pronunciation

/ˈblesɪŋ ɪn dɪsˈɡaɪz/

Usage Guide

Context: silver lining, optimism, reflection

Tone: reflective, positive

✓ Do Say

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise
结果证明是因祸得福
Resultó ser un mal que vino para bien
結果的に不幸中の幸いだった
결과적으로 전화위복이 됐다
A blessing in disguise
因祸得福
No hay mal que por bien no venga
不幸中の幸い
전화위복

✗ Don't Say

Usually said in hindsight
通常是事后回顾时说的
Se dice normalmente en retrospectiva
通常は後から振り返って言う
보통 결과를 알고 난 후에 하는 말

Common Mistakes

Saying it too soon before the benefit is clear

Origin & History

The phrase dates from the 18th century. The concept is that good fortune sometimes comes wrapped in initial disappointment, like a blessing wearing a disguise.

Etymology: From concept of hidden good fortune

First recorded: 18th century

Cultural Context

Era: 18th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Common philosophical phrase

Regional notes: Universal across English-speaking world.

Variations

Blessing in disguiseA blessing in disguise