bit chapalang
- adjective
- UK
:
un poco raro
- His sense of fashion is always bit chapalang, but it suits his personality.
Examples
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The decorations at the party were bit chapalang, yet everyone found them charming.
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That outfit is a bit chapalang for a formal event.
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My playlist is bit chapalang because I listen to songs from many different genres.
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She has a bit chapalang sense of humor.
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His sense of fashion is always bit chapalang, but it suits his personality.
-
That outfit is bit chapalang for a formal event.
-
She has a bit chapalang sense of humor.
Synonyms
A little strange in a harmless, friendly way
A little strange and silly
Antonyms
How Strange
Surface Forms
Morphology
bit + chapalang
The adjective 'chapalang' is a regional, lexicalized item with no dictionary definition here, and 'bit' only supplies a degree modifier ('a little'). The overall meaning ('somewhat odd') therefore depends on knowing the idiosyncratic meaning of 'chapalang' rather than compositional inference from its parts, so learners who only know the literal constituents would not reliably derive the idiomatic sense.
Etymology
Bit chapalang is a phrase from Singapore English that paints a simple picture. chapalang means a mix of many things—like a plate with different foods thrown together—so if something is bit chapalang it is 'a little', 'mixed-up' or 'odd'.