‘乖僻’ (guāi pì) is a literary, somewhat archaic adjective describing someone whose behavior or temperament is unusually eccentric, willful, or contrary to social norms—often with an undertone of stubbornness or emotional aloofness. The first character 乖 originally meant 'obedient' or 'well-behaved', but in this compound it undergoes semantic reversal, contributing irony or paradox; 僻 means 'secluded', 'uncommon', or 'deviant', reinforcing the sense of strangeness or social detachment.

This word appears frequently in classical and early modern Chinese literature to portray reclusive scholars, misunderstood geniuses, or emotionally withdrawn characters—never used lightly in casual speech. It carries mild negative connotation, implying difficulty in relating to others, though not outright malice. Modern usage is rare outside formal writing, literary analysis, or historical dialogue, and it’s never applied to objects or animals.