# may you live in interesting times

> English word · Phrase

## Definitions
1. A sardonic curse disguised as well-wishing, where interesting times refers to trouble.

## Etymology
Popularly attributed to Chinese, but this is apocryphal; the true origin is unclear. Its closest Chinese equivalent is 寧為太平犬，不做亂世人 ("better to be a dog in times of tranquility than a human in times of chaos"). Its earliest known use is in 1936 by Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen, British ambassador to China, who purported hearing the phrase. See May you live in interesting times § Origins on Wikipedia.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/may-you-live-in-interesting-times