匪夷所思

fěiyí-suǒsī

idiom #17,906

Meanings

这件事情简直匪夷所思。

Zhè jiàn shìqíng jiǎnzhí fěiyísuǒsī.

This matter is simply inconceivable.

他做出了匪夷所思的举动。

Tā zuòchū le fěiyísuǒsī de jǔdòng.

He did something outrageous.

memory

匪 (not) + 夷 (ordinary) + 所 (that which) + 思 (think) = 'not what ordinary people would think of' = unimaginable.

history

From the ancient Book of Changes (《易经》): 涣有丘，匪夷所思. Originally meant 'beyond what common people would contemplate.'

匪 fěi

夷 yí

所 suǒ

思 sī