彆扭

彆扭

1. unsatisfactory; not going as one wishes; not going smooth and easy

   這些事情老是挺彆扭。 [MSC, trad.]
   这些事情老是挺别扭。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhèxiē shìqíng lǎo shì tǐng bièniu. [Pinyin]

   These things never seem to go smoothly.

   這天氣真彆扭，一會兒熱，一會兒冷。 [MSC, trad.]
   这天气真别扭，一会儿热，一会儿冷。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè tiānqì zhēn bièniu, yīhuì'ér rè, yīhuì'ér lěng. [Pinyin]

   This weather is unpredictable, now hot, now cold.

2. unnatural; awkward; uneasy (of a situation)

   我跟陌生人在一起吃飯，多少有點兒彆扭。 [MSC, trad.]
   我跟陌生人在一起吃饭，多少有点儿别扭。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ gēn mòshēngrén zàiyīqǐ chīfàn, duōshao yǒudiǎnr bièniu. [Pinyin]

   It's a bit awkward for me to eat with strangers.

3. disagreeable; stubborn; difficult (of one's personality)

   她很彆扭，不好打交道。 [MSC, trad.]
   她很别扭，不好打交道。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā hěn bièniu, bùhǎo dǎjiāodào. [Pinyin]

   She was disagreeable, hard to deal with.

4. unable to see eye-to-eye; at loggerheads; unable to agree

   鬧彆扭／闹别扭  ―  nàobièniu  ―  to be at odds with; to be at loggerheads with

   他們兩個彆彆扭扭的。 [MSC, trad.]
   他们两个别别扭扭的。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tāmen liǎng ge biè biè niu niu de. [Pinyin]

   Both of them are unable to see eye to eye.

5. unnatural; awkward (in speech, writing, etc.)

   這一段有點兒彆扭，把它修改一下吧。 [MSC, trad.]
   这一段有点儿别扭，把它修改一下吧。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè yī duàn yǒudiǎnr bièniu, bǎ tā xiūgǎi yīxià ba. [Pinyin]

   This paragraph is a little awkward. Try to fix it.

• (unanatural): (Hokkien) 礙虐／碍虐 (gāi-gio̍h)

• (Hokkien) 更桀