awkward and difficult to read; tortuous and unpronounceable
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
awkward and difficult to read; tortuous and unpronounceable (of writing)
literaryOriginally used to describe ancient texts that are difficult to understand due to archaic language. Now generally refers to any writing that is obscure, convoluted, and hard to read aloud. Often used as a criticism of pretentious or poorly written academic or literary works. The variant form 诘屈聱牙 is also commonly used.
This article is so awkward and difficult to read that people can't get through it.
Classical texts often appear tortuous and unpronounceable, requiring annotations to understand.
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His writing style pursues obscurity too much, resulting in something convoluted and unreadable.
This philosophical work is obscure and difficult to read, making it hard for beginners to understand.