When something is incongruous, it does not fit the place, the people, or the feeling around it. The thing itself may be fine; it just sits in the wrong picture.

When something is incongruous當某個東西不協調時, it它 the place, the people, or the feeling around it跟周圍的地方、人、或氣氛 does not fit不合。The thing itself那東西本身 may be fine可能沒問題，it just只是 sits in the wrong picture放錯了畫面。

A bright plastic toy on a grave. A joke in a very quiet, sad room. A stiff, old word in a text message to a friend.

A bright plastic toy一個鮮豔的塑膠玩具 on a grave放在墳墓上。A joke一個笑話 in a very quiet, sad room出現在非常安靜、悲傷的房間裡。A stiff, old word一個生硬老氣的詞 in a text message to a friend出現在傳給朋友的簡訊裡。

Writers and careful speakers like this word when they want to say “this does not belong here” without shouting. It is a little formal. You will see it in news and books more than you will hear it in a shop.

Writers and careful speakers作家和講究用詞的人 like this word喜歡用這個字 when they want to say 「this does not belong here」是因為想說「這裡不對勁」 without shouting又不想講得太直接的時候。It是 a little formal有點正式。in news and books在新聞和書裡 you will see it你會看到它 more than比 in a shop在店裡 you will hear it你會聽到它 更常見。

People stretch it a little: not only for things you can see, but for ideas and pairs that do not go together. Though actually, if you only mean “strange” or “surprising,” this is the wrong word — the strangeness has to be that two things do not match, not just that one thing is new.

People人們 stretch it a little把這個字稍微用得更廣: not only for things you can see不只用在看得到的東西上, but for ideas and pairs that do not go together也用在合不來的想法或組合上。Though actually不過, if you only mean 「strange」 or 「surprising」如果你只是想說「奇怪」或「令人驚訝」 this is the wrong word這個字就用錯了 — the strangeness has to be that two things do not match這裡的奇怪指的是兩個東西不搭, not just that one thing is new而不是單純某個東西很新。