adjective / verb / noun HSK 4
strange · odd · to blame · monster
Meaning
怪 is a versatile word that can mean 'strange' or 'odd' as an adjective, 'to blame' as a verb, or 'monster' as a noun. It commonly appears in everyday conversation to describe unusual situations or to express that someone shouldn't be blamed for something.
Usage
As an adjective, 怪 often precedes another adjective or verb to mean 'quite' or 'rather' (怪好的 'pretty good'). The verb usage 不怪你 'I don't blame you' is very common. In northern dialects, 怪 as an adverb meaning 'quite' is particularly frequent in casual speech.
Examples
- 01这件事真怪，我得查清楚。, .This matter is really strange; I need to investigate it clearly.
- 02别怪我没提醒你。.Don't blame me for not warning you.
Common collocations
- 不怪no wonder, not to blame
- 怪不得no wonder
- 怪人weirdo, eccentric person
- 怪事strange matter, oddity
Antonyms
Origin
The character combines 忄(heart radical) and 圣, suggesting something that affects the heart or emotions in an unusual way.