dark horse

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian Unknown Neutral

Meaning: unexpected competitor or winner

出人意料的竞争者或赢家
competidor o ganador inesperado
予想外の競争相手または勝者
예상 밖의 경쟁자 또는 승자

Someone whose abilities are unknown but who might surprise everyone. From horse racing.

实力未知但可能让所有人大吃一惊的人。源自赛马。
Alguien cuyas habilidades son desconocidas pero que podría sorprender a todos. Proviene de las carreras de caballos.
実力が未知数だが、全員を驚かせるかもしれない人物。競馬に由来する。
능력이 알려지지 않았지만 모두를 놀라게 할 수 있는 사람. 경마에서 유래했다.

Examples

  1. He was the dark horse candidate who won.
    他是那匹黑马候选人,最终胜出了。
    Fue el candidato inesperado que ganó.
    彼はダークホースの候補者で、見事に勝った。
    그는 다크호스 후보로 출마하여 승리했다.
  2. She's a dark horse - you never know what she's capable of.
    她是匹黑马——你永远不知道她有多大能耐。
    Es una incógnita: nunca se sabe de qué es capaz.
    彼女はダークホースだ——何ができるかわからない。
    그녀는 다크호스다 — 무슨 능력이 있을지 모른다.
  3. The dark horse of the tournament made the final.
    锦标赛中的黑马闯入了决赛。
    El caballo oscuro del torneo llegó a la final.
    大会のダークホースが決勝に進出した。
    대회의 다크호스가 결승에 진출했다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: competition, surprise

Tone: intrigued

✓ Do Say

  • Describe unexpected contenders
    描述出人意料的竞争者
    Describir competidores inesperados
    予想外の競争者を表現する
    예상치 못한 경쟁자를 묘사할 때

✗ Don't Say

  • For known quantities
    不用于实力已知的人
    No se usa para personas de capacidad conocida
    実力が知られている人に対しては使わない
    이미 잘 알려진 사람에게는 사용하지 않음

Origin & History

From horse racing - a dark horse was an unknown horse whose form and abilities were a mystery to bettors.

Cultural Context

Era: timeless

Generation: all ages

Social background: all

More From This Topic

Kick off ★★★★★ To start something; also to become angry (British). Throw in the towel ★★★★★ To give up or admit defeat. Touch base ★★★★★ To make brief contact with someone. Drop the ball ★★★★★ To make a mistake or fail to do something. Game plan ★★★★★ A strategy or plan of action. Par for the course ★★★★★ Normal or expected; typical for the situation.
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