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不倫不類

简不伦不类 · 繁不倫不類

Mandarin · pinyin bù lún bù lèi

out of place
inappropriate
incongruous

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Characters in this entry

不: bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
倫: Look up this written character
類: Look up this written character
伦: lún · normal human relationships
类: lèi · class, group, kind, category

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–2–4–4 · bu4 lun2 bu4 lei4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

不倫不類 · find source passages ↗ · 不伦不类 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

bat1 leon4 bat1 leoi6

Cantonese word readings for 不倫不類. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) nondescript; neither fish nor fowl

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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