别具一格

別具一格
biéjù-yīgé
idiom #37,583

Meanings

  1. 1 having a unique style
  2. 2 distinctive; in a class of its own
  3. 3 one of a kind

Examples

HSK 4
Tā de xiězuò fēnggé biéjù-yīgé.
Her writing style is truly distinctive.
HSK 5
Zhèjiā cāntīng de zhuāngxiū biéjù-yīgé.
This restaurant's decor is in a style all its own.
HSK 7-9
Zhèbù diànyǐng biéjù-yīgé, shēnshòu guānzhòng xǐ'ài.
This film has a unique style and is loved by audiences.

Tips

history
From the Qing-dynasty scholar Lü Liuliang's 《与施愚山书》: 咏见赠诗,风力又别具一格 - 'your poem has a vigor that is in a class of its own.' Originally literary praise, the idiom now describes distinctive style in any domain - design, cuisine, architecture, fashion.
usage
Always positive - praises genuine distinctiveness. Pairs with 风格, 装修, 设计, 写作. Do not use for oddities that are merely strange; 别具一格 implies the style works and is admired.

Stroke Order

bié