怪 (guài) - Strange, odd, peculiar & to blame, to find strange

怪Tone 4

guài ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 忄

枫惠

怪 · guài

Strange, odd, peculiar;

to blame, to find strange;

monster, supernatural being.

Strange, odd, peculiarto blame, to find strangemonster, supernatural being.

Usage highlights

StrangeMonsterTo blameOdd, peculiarSupernatural beingTo find strange

Synonyms

  • 奇— strange, unusual
  • 异— different, unusual
  • 妖— monster, demon

Antonyms

  • 常— normal, usual
  • 正— proper, correct
  • 普— common, ordinary

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This is very strange (很奇怪).
  • Don't blame me (别怪我).
  • He encountered a monster (怪物).
  • She has a peculiar personality (性格古怪).

Collocations

  • Strange(奇怪)
  • Monster(怪物)
  • To blame(责怪)
  • Odd, peculiar(古怪)
  • Supernatural being(妖怪)
  • To find strange(见怪)

Idioms

  • Make a fuss about nothing(大惊小怪)
  • Blame everyone and everything but oneself(怪天怪地)
  • Strange tales from a Chinese studio(聊斋志异 - contains many 怪 stories)
  • Guai Li Guai Qi(怪里怪气 - behaving oddly)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese folklore, 怪 often refers to yaoguai (妖怪), supernatural creatures or monsters that can be benevolent or malevolent.
  • The concept of 怪 is central to many classical texts like Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (聊斋志异).
  • In Confucian thought, blaming others (怪) is often discouraged in favor of self-reflection.

FAQ