怪里怪气 (guài lǐ guài qì) — (idiom) eccentric; peculiar; odd (in manner or appearance)

Definition

An idiom describing a person's manner, voice, or style as odd or eccentric in an off-putting way. Often used to comment on appearance or behavior that feels strange or out of the ordinary.

idiom
eccentricpeculiarodd (in manner or appearance)

Examples

  • 怪里怪气，。
    Tā shuō huà de shēng yīn guài lǐ guài qì de, ràng rén hěn bù shū fu.
    His voice sounds strange and makes people uncomfortable.
  • 怪里怪气，。
    Zhè jiàn yī fu shè jì dé guài lǐ guài qì, yì bān rén chuān bù chū qù.
    This piece of clothing is designed so oddly that most people wouldn't wear it out.
  • 怪里怪气，？
    Tā zuì jìn xíng wéi guài lǐ guài qì de, shì bu shì yù dào le shén me má fan?
    She's been behaving oddly lately — has she run into some trouble?

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
圣
圣shèng怪guài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

怪 is built from 忄, a form of 心, which relates to mind or feeling, and 圣, which gives the sound.

Open 怪 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
圣
圣shèng怪guài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

怪 is built from 忄, a form of 心, which relates to mind or feeling, and 圣, which gives the sound.

Open 怪 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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