omen of disaster; sign of calamity
A literary or formal expression for a portent of misfortune. Often used in warnings, prophecies, or dramatic contexts.
People in the past believed that ominous dreams were omens of disaster.
This abnormal weather is feared to be a sign of calamity.
凶兆 is a more concise synonym for 'evil omen', but 凶事の兆し is slightly more descriptive and literary.
Compound of 凶事 (calamity, disaster) and 兆し (sign, omen). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the components are transparent.