mysterious; enigmatic; sphinx-like; noncommittal
Describes a person, statement, or attitude that is deliberately vague, hard to read, or evasive, like the mythical nue whose true nature is unclear. Often used for someone who won't give a straight answer.
His replies are always enigmatic, so I can't tell what he really thinks.
首相の鵺的な発言に、記者たちは困惑した。
The reporters were baffled by the prime minister's sphinx-like remarks.
不可解 means 'incomprehensible' or 'unfathomable,' focusing on the inability to understand, whereas 鵺的 suggests something that is puzzling because its true nature is hidden or unclear.
Standard kanji spelling; the character 鵺 refers to the mythical nue chimera, giving the word its mysterious, unidentifiable nuance.
Katakana spelling sometimes used for emphasis or in casual writing.
Rarely used kanji form; 鵼 is a variant of 鵺.
From 鵺 (nue, a mythical Japanese chimera said to be difficult to identify) + 的 (-teki, '-like'). The word evokes the nue's elusive, unidentifiable nature.