突兀

túwù

adjective #34,331

Meanings

1 sudden
2 abrupt
3 jarring
4 lofty; towering

Characters

sudden; to protrude

towering; standing tall

Examples

他的问题来得有点突兀。

Tā de wèntí lái de yǒudiǎn túwù.

His question came somewhat abruptly.

这段情节安排得很突兀。

Zhè duàn qíngjié ānpái de hěn túwù.

This plot development feels very abrupt.

山峰突兀，直插云霄。

Shānfēng túwù, 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