gwaai3 daan3怪誕怪诞
Jyutpinggwaai3 daan3
Yalegwaai daan
Definition
Weird, strange, or eccentric; deviating from the norm in a way that draws stares.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Carries a stronger sense of being unsettling or bizarre compared to standard words for strange like 奇怪. It often implies that someone's behavior or appearance deviates so far from social norms that it makes others feel uncomfortable or suspicious. Use it when describing things that feel slightly off or uncanny rather than just mildly unusual.
Examples
He always wears such weird clothes, it is so over the top.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 奇怪, which is neutral and can simply mean curious or interesting. 怪誕 is almost always negative or critical, implying that the subject is acting in a way that is socially unacceptable or disturbing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
