莫名其妙
莫名其妙 (mò míng qí miào) literally means “cannot name its wonder” and expresses “makes no sense”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: mo ming qi miao, mo ming qi miao,莫名其妙 meaning, 莫名其妙 in english
Makes no sense
Pronunciation: mò míng qí miào Literal meaning: Cannot name its wonder
Origin & Usage
Something whose strangeness (妙) cannot (莫) be named (名). 妙 is the trap for learners: in Daoist writing it is the subtle and the marvellous, but the tone here is exasperated rather than reverent, and the speaker is not contemplating a mystery so much as failing to make sense of something absurd. Late-imperial vernacular writing is where it belongs. Behaviour that came out of nowhere, a rule with no reason behind it, and very commonly a person, where it means roughly what English means by calling somebody a piece of work.
Examples
English: "She was billed for a service she had never signed up for, with no explanation"
Chinese: 她收到一张从未订购过的服务账单，也没有任何说明
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
融会贯通
róng huì guàn tōng
Integrate many strands into one understanding
Learn more →
学海无涯
xué hǎi wú yá
Learning is limitless
Learn more →
知行合一
zhī xíng hé yī
Practice what you know
Learn more →
举一反三
jǔ yī fǎn sān
Learn many from one example
Learn more →
温故知新
wēn gù zhī xīn
Learn new through studying old
Learn more →
画龙点睛
huà lóng diǎn jīng
Add crucial finishing touch
Learn more →
读万卷书
dú wàn juàn shū
Read extensively for knowledge
Learn more →
抛砖引玉
pāo zhuān yǐn yù
Offer modest view to inspire better
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 莫名其妙 mean in English?
莫名其妙 (mò míng qí miào) literally translates to “Cannot name its wonder” and is used to express “Makes no sense”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 莫名其妙 used?
Situation: She was billed for a service she had never signed up for, with no explanation
What is the pinyin for 莫名其妙?
The pinyin pronunciation for 莫名其妙 is “mò míng qí miào”.
Curated Lists Featuring 莫名其妙
8 Funny Chinese Idioms with Hilarious Literal Meanings
Discover amusing Chinese idioms whose literal translations are unexpectedly funny or absurd.
12 Delicious Chinese Idioms About Food & Eating
Appetizing Chinese idioms about food, eating, and Chinese culinary culture - where language meets gastronomy.