neither fish nor fowl; like nothing on earth; nondescript
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Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to be neither fish nor fowl; to be neither one thing nor the other; to be nondescript
formalThis idiom is used to describe something that is a strange hybrid, fails to meet any recognized standard, or is a clumsy, unsuccessful imitation. It carries a critical or negative connotation.
Tā他
zhè这
cì次
de的
shè设
jì计
fāng方
àn案
fēi非
lǘ驴
fēi非
mǎ马
，
kè客
hù户
wán完
quán全
wú无
fǎ法
jiē接
shòu受
。
His design proposal this time was neither fish nor fowl, and the client couldn't accept it at all.
Zhè这
zuò座
jiàn建
zhù筑
róng融
hé合
le了
gè各
zhǒng种
fēng风
gé格
，
jié结
guǒ果
què却
xiǎn显
de得
fēi非
lǘ驴
fēi非
mǎ马
。
This building incorporates various styles, but the result looks like nothing on earth.
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Zhè这
piān篇
wén文
zhāng章
jì既
bù不
xiàng像
xiǎo小
shuō说
yě也
bù不
xiàng像
sǎn散
wén文
，
xiě写
de得
fēi非
lǘ驴
fēi非
mǎ马
。
This piece of writing is neither a novel nor an essay; it's a clumsy hybrid.
Tā他
de的
gǎi改
gé革
tí提
yì议
fēi非
lǘ驴
fēi非
mǎ马
，
jì既
wú无
yuán原
zé则
yě也
wú无
xīn新
yì意
。
His reform proposal is a nondescript mess, lacking both principle and innovation.