Chinese word

怪

Pronunciation

Pinyinguài

Meaning

  • adjectivestrange

Example

这件事真怪。zhè jiàn shì zhēn guài

This is really strange.

Illustration for 怪 (strange)

More examples

这台冰箱的声音最近很大，有点怪。zhè tái bīng xiāng de shēng yīn zuì jìn hěn dà yóu diǎn guài

This refrigerator has been making a very loud sound lately, and it is a little strange.

Core concept

A response to something that feels out of place, ranging from puzzled surprise to finding fault with its cause.

Common phrases

  • 有点儿怪yóu diǎnr guài

    slightly strange

  • 真怪zhēn guài

    truly strange

  • 觉得怪jué de guài

    find strange

Similar words

奇怪qí guài: Seeming unfamiliar or unusual in a way that causes surprise or confusion.
异常yì cháng: Falling outside the normal range, especially in a condition or situation.
奇妙qí miào: Having a hard-to-explain mystery that sparks wonder or curiosity.

Definition in Chinese

显得异常或不同寻常，使人觉得不合常理或奇妙；在口语中亦常作动词用以责怪他人。xiǎn de yì cháng huò bù tóng xún cháng shǐ rén jué de bù hé cháng lǐ huò qí miào zài kóu yǔ zhōng yì cháng zuò dòng cí yòng yǐ zé guài tā rén

Word origin

The older analysis of 怪 (guài, "strange") combines 心 (xīn, "heart") + 圣 (shèng, "holy"), with the heart component pointing to an inner response and 圣 mainly supplying the sound.

Usage tips

  • The fixed expression 怪不得 (guàibude, "no wonder") means that a reason now makes sense, so it should not be read as the standalone word assigning fault.

Other meanings

  • blameverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word