奇怪

• Pinyin: qí guài
• Hanzi breakdown: 奇 = 大 (big) + 可 (possible, phonetic), meaning remarkable or unusual; 怪 = 忄(heart) + 圣 (phonetic variant), something that puzzles the heart

Meaning

Strange; odd; weird; to find something puzzling. Describes something unexpected or hard to understand.

Very common in daily conversation. Can be used as an adjective (很奇怪 = very strange) or as a verb-like expression (我觉得奇怪 = I find it strange). Often expresses surprise or confusion. More colloquial than 奇异. Used across all registers from casual chat to news reports.

Examples

1. 这件事真奇怪，他怎么突然不来了？ This is really strange — why did he suddenly not come?
2. 那个人的行为让大家都觉得很奇怪。 That person's behaviour made everyone feel very puzzled.
3. 奇怪，我明明把钥匙放在这里了。 That's odd — I clearly put my keys right here.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, storytelling, daily life

Tone: surprised

Do Say

• 真奇怪，门怎么自己开了？(How strange — how did the door open by itself?)
• 你不觉得奇怪吗？(Don't you think that's odd?)

Don't Say

• 你真是一个奇怪！(Don't use 奇怪 as a noun to call someone 'a weirdo' — 奇怪 is an adjective. Say 你真奇怪 or 你是个怪人.)

Origin & History

奇 means unusual, rare, or surprising; 怪 means strange or to blame. Together they intensify the sense of strangeness — something that is both unusual and puzzling.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal