错位 cuòwèi to be wrongly positioned
to be wrongly positioned; to be dislocated; to be misplaced; (medicine) to be in malposition; (figuratively) erroneous; eccentric
How to remember 错位: 错 mistake + 位 position = to be wrongly positioned.
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How it is used
- 'To be dislocated, out of place, mismatched' - 关节错位 (guānjié cuòwèi) a dislocated joint; 供需错位 (gōngxū cuòwèi) a supply-demand mismatch.
- Literal (bones, parts shifted from position) and figurative (roles, expectations misaligned).
- The 错 (wrong) + 位 (position): something ends up where it shouldn't be.