突兀

tūwù

adjective HSK 7-9 #34,331

Meanings

1 sudden
2 abrupt
3 jarring
4 lofty; towering

Characters

sudden; to protrude

towering; standing tall

Examples

HSK 2

他的问题来得有点突兀。

Tā de wèntí láide yǒudiǎn tūwù.

His question came somewhat abruptly.

HSK 6

这段情节安排得很突兀。

Zhè duàn qíngjié ānpái de hěn tūwù.

This plot development feels very abrupt.

HSK 7-9

山峰突兀，直插云霄。

Shānfēng tūwù, zhí chā yúnxiāo.

The peaks rise abruptly, piercing the clouds.

Tips

usage

Two senses: (1) socially or narratively 'out of nowhere,' often with negative nuance - awkward or jarring; (2) literal 'towering,' used for mountains and cliffs in descriptive writing.

Stroke Order

突 tū

兀 wù