気き違ちがい沙ざ汰た

き

ち

が

い

ざ

た

Meanings

noun

insane behavior; madness

sensitive

Strongly pejorative and offensive term for behavior or a situation that is wildly irrational or out of control. Considered discriminatory; avoid in polite conversation.

あんな計けい画かくを本ほん気きで進すすめるなんて、まったく気き違ちがい沙汰ざただ。
Pushing forward with such a plan seriously is sheer madness.
彼かれの突とつ然ぜんの辞じ職しょくは気き違ちがい沙汰ざたとしか思おもえなかった。
His sudden resignation could only be seen as insane behavior.

Kanji

気spirit, mind, air
違difference, differ
沙sand
汰washing, sieving, filtering
狂lunatic, insane, crazy

Related words

狂きょう気き
狂気 is a more neutral, literary term for 'madness' or 'insanity', without the direct pejorative and discriminatory edge of 気違い沙汰.
気き違ちがい
気違い is the base noun meaning 'madman' or 'lunatic', also highly offensive. 気違い沙汰 extends this to describe actions or situations.

Built from

きちがい+沙さ汰た

Written forms

気き違ちがい沙ざ汰た
Standard kanji spelling. Note that 気違い is a sensitive term; this compound is also sensitive.
気狂きちがい沙汰ざた
Alternate kanji form using 狂い instead of 違い; less common but still encountered.
きちがい沙ざ汰た
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; sometimes used to soften the kanji or for readability.

Etymology

Compound of 気違い (madman, lunatic) + 沙汰 (affair, matter). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of combining a descriptor with 沙汰 to indicate a type of incident or behavior.