Tragically means in a way that is very sad, and it is most often used about death — especially a death that came early, suddenly, or by accident.

Tragically means tragically 的意思是 in a way that is very sad用一種非常悲傷的方式, and it is most often used about death而且最常用在講「死亡」這件事 — especially a death that came early, suddenly, or by accident尤其是英年早逝、突然過世，或意外身亡。

It has two jobs in a sentence. It can modify a verb: "he died tragically in a fire". More often it stands at the front and comments on the whole sentence: "Tragically, the letter arrived a day too late." In that second use the writer is not describing how something happened but telling you how to feel about it — the same slot as "sadly", "unfortunately", "luckily".

It has two jobs in a sentence它在句子裡有兩種功能。It can modify a verb它可以修飾動詞: "he died tragically in a fire"像「he died tragically in a fire」（他在一場火災中不幸喪生）。More often比較常見的是 it stands at the front它放在句子最前面 and comments on the whole sentence對整句話下評論: "Tragically, the letter arrived a day too late."像「Tragically, the letter arrived a day too late.」（很不幸，那封信晚了一天才到）。In that second use在這第二種用法裡, the writer is not describing how something happened作者不是在描述事情怎麼發生的 but telling you how to feel about it而是在告訴你該對這件事有什麼感覺 — the same slot as "sadly", "unfortunately", "luckily"跟「sadly」、「unfortunately」、「luckily」是同一種位置。

The word belongs to news reports and formal speech. "Three people tragically lost their lives" is newsreader language. In real conversation between friends, people say "it's so sad" or "it was terrible". Because journalists use it so heavily with death, the word now almost announces a death before the rest of the sentence arrives.

The word belongs to news reports and formal speech這個字屬於新聞報導和正式場合的用語。"Three people tragically lost their lives"「Three people tragically lost their lives」（三人不幸罹難） is newsreader language是新聞主播的口吻。In real conversation between friends朋友之間真正聊天時, people say人們會說 "it's so sad" or "it was terrible"「好可憐」或「太慘了」。Because journalists use it so heavily with death因為記者太常拿這個字搭配死亡使用, the word now almost announces a death這個字現在幾乎變成一種「要講死訊了」的信號 before the rest of the sentence arrives句子後面的內容還沒出來就先預告了。

There is also a lighter, slightly funny use, where the thing is not sad at all: "tragically unfashionable", "tragically bad at singing". Here it just means embarrassingly, hopelessly. Young people use this more than old ones, and the tone is always joking.

There is also a lighter, slightly funny use還有一種比較輕鬆、有點好笑的用法, where the thing is not sad at all那件事其實一點都不悲傷: "tragically unfashionable", "tragically bad at singing"像「tragically unfashionable」（土到不行）、「tragically bad at singing」（唱歌難聽到爆）。Here it just means在這裡它的意思只是 embarrassingly, hopelessly丟臉到、無藥可救地。Young people use this more than old ones年輕人比老一輩更常這樣用, and the tone is always joking而且語氣一定是開玩笑的。

Though actually, mixing the two — using the light sense anywhere near a real death — lands very badly, so keep them apart.

Though actually不過其實, mixing the two把這兩種用法混在一起 — using the light sense anywhere near a real death在真正有人過世的場合附近用了輕鬆的那個意思 — lands very badly會讓人感覺非常糟, so keep them apart所以要把這兩種用法分清楚。