奇形怪状 (qí xíng guài zhuàng) — bizarre in shape; grotesque; oddly shaped

Definition

A vivid idiom meaning 'bizarre in shape' — used to describe things with strange, unusual, or grotesque forms. Often modifies nouns directly or with 的.

idiom
bizarre in shapegrotesqueoddly shaped

Examples

  • 奇形怪状。
    Hǎi tān shàng yǒu hěn duō qí xíng guài zhuàng de shí tou.
    There are many oddly shaped rocks on the beach.
  • 奇形怪状。
    Zhè zuò qí xíng guài zhuàng de jiàn zhù xī yǐn le hěn duō rén pāi zhào.
    This bizarrely shaped building attracted many people to take photos.
  • 奇形怪状。
    Tā shōu cáng le yì xiē qí xíng guài zhuàng de mù diāo yì shù pǐn.
    He collected some oddly shaped wood carving artworks.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

奇形strange shapes
奇qístrange形xíngshape
偏正Modifier + head
怪状odd appearances
怪guàiodd状zhuàngappearance
偏正Modifier + head

Strange shapes in 奇形 and odd appearances in 怪状 together give a grotesque look.

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
大大dàbig; great
Sound part声符shēngfú
可
可kě奇
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

奇 pairs 大 (big; great) with 可, a sound part.

Open 奇 →

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
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
井
井jǐng形xíng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

Open 形 →

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 狀; 状 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犬犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán狀zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 狀 pairs 犬 (dog) with 爿 as a sound component; the simplified 状 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 状 →

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