To perceive what is abnormal with a startled heart.
Weird, strange, odd; to blame someone; quite/rather (怪好). The heart (忄) sees a holy sage (圣) and finds it uncanny.
怪
Common Usage & Traps
- 奇怪 — strange, odd
- 怪物 — monster
- 怪人 — eccentric person
- 怪不得 — no wonder
- 怪你 — blame you
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很怪怪很奇怪怪 is not reduplicated to mean 'very strange'; use 奇怪 with 很.
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怪怪的人奇怪的人怪 alone is not typically used as an adjective before nouns; use 奇怪.
When should I use 怪 instead of 奇怪?
怪 is often a verb meaning 'to blame' or appears in fixed expressions; 奇怪 is the everyday adjective for 'strange'.
怪 can be an adjective meaning 'strange' in some contexts, but it is more limited. As a verb, it means 'to blame'. 奇怪 is the standard adjective for 'strange' and can be used predicatively or attributively. Use 奇怪 for most situations describing something odd.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective usage | 这件事很奇怪。 | 这件事很怪。 (less common) |
| Verb usage | 别怪我。 | 别奇怪我。 (incorrect) |
| Fixed expressions | 怪不好意思的 | 奇怪不好意思的 |
What does 怪不得 mean and how is it used?
怪不得 means 'no wonder' and is used to express realization after understanding a reason.
怪不得 is a fixed expression meaning 'no wonder'. It is used when you discover the reason for something and express that it now makes sense. It is often followed by a clause stating the result.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | 怪不得他今天没来，他生病了。 | 怪不他今天没来。 (incorrect) |
| Meaning | No wonder he didn't come today, he's sick. | He didn't come today, strange. |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
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可是今年很 奇怪 ，天上很少有云，也很少下雨，一直非常热。
Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.
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太 奇怪 了！
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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