wild; freakish; crazy; hysterical
Describes behavior, speech, or a person that is wildly eccentric, absurd, or hysterically out of control. Often used in the phrase 素っ頓狂 (そっとんきょう) for an even stronger effect.
See also: 素っ頓狂
He suddenly let out a wild laugh.
Everyone was taken aback by that crazy idea.
wild; crazy; hysterical; freakish
Standard kanji spelling for this word.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji are obscure.
Rarely used kanji form.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 頓 (sudden, abrupt) and 狂 (crazy, insane) are conventionally associated with the meaning of wild or freakish behavior.