Learn a Chinese Character - 怪

1. Character Basics

Radical: 忄/xīn (heart), 圣/shèng (holy)

Stroke Count: 8

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Guài (Fourth tone)

3. Meaning

Basic Meaning: Strange; odd; weird; unusual; to blame; to wonder

Extended Meaning: Oddity; monster; demon; spirit; to find strange; to be surprised at;怪异 (strange and unusual);怪物 (monster)

4. Common Words

• 奇怪 (qí guài) - strange; odd; weird

  这个问题很奇怪。 (This question is very strange.)

• 怪物 (guài wù) - monster; weird creature

  电影里有很多可怕的怪物。 (There are many scary monsters in the movie.)

• 怪罪 (guài zuì) - to blame; to put the blame on

  不要怪罪他，这不是他的错。 (Don't blame him, it's not his fault.)

• 怪不得 (guài bu de) - no wonder; it's no surprise

  怪不得他这么累，他工作了一整天。 (No wonder he's so tired, he worked all day.)

• 妖怪 (yāo guài) - monster; demon; evil spirit

  在传统故事中，妖怪经常变成人的样子。 (In traditional stories, demons often take human form.)

5. Grammar & Usage

As an Adjective:

• 怪+Noun: 怪事 (strange thing), 怪人 (strange person), 怪物 (monster)
• 很/太+怪: 很怪 (very strange), 太怪了 (too strange)
• 怪+的+Noun: 怪的事情 (strange thing)

As a Verb:

• 怪+sb/sth: 怪我 (blame me), 怪天气 (blame the weather)
• 怪+sb+for+doing: 怪他迟到 (blame him for being late)
• 怪不得+Clause: 怪不得他生气 (no wonder he's angry)

6. Cultural Background

In Chinese culture, the character 怪 has a rich and varied significance. One of the most fascinating aspects is its association with traditional mythology and folklore, where it often refers to supernatural beings or monsters with special powers.

Chinese mythology is populated with many types of 妖怪 (yāo guài) and 怪物 (guài wù), ranging from mischievous spirits to fearsome creatures. These entities frequently appear in classic works like 《西游记》 (Journey to the West) and 《山海经》 (Classic of Mountains and Seas).

Interestingly, the character 怪 is also used in everyday language to express surprise or to find something unusual, showing how ancient mythological concepts continue to influence modern Chinese vocabulary and expression.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

1. Decomposition Method:

怪 is composed of 忄 (xīn) meaning "heart" and 圣 (shèng) meaning "holy". Together, they suggest something that makes the heart feel unusual or awestruck, which connects to the idea of something strange or supernatural.

2. Association Method:

Imagine encountering something that makes your heart feel different or unusual - that's the essence of "怪".

3. Word Group Method:

Remember the character by learning related words:

• 奇怪 (qí guài) - strange; odd
• 怪物 (guài wù) - monster
• 怪罪 (guài zuì) - to blame

4. Image Method:

Picture a creature from Chinese mythology that has special powers and appears strange or unusual to humans. This visual image can help you remember both the character and its meaning.