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Kotomora

奇

strange, strangeness, curiosity

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • キ

Kun'yomi

  • く.しき
  • あや.しい
  • くし
  • めずら.しい

Meaning

奇 centers on something that stands out as unusual or unexpected: strangeness, oddity, or a curious quality that draws attention.

Most common words using 奇

20 of 149
  • 奇跡きせき
    N1

    miracle; wonder; marvel

  • 奇妙きみょう
    N3

    strange; odd; peculiar; queer; curious

  • 好奇こうき

    inquisitiveness

  • 奇き

    strange; unconventional; eccentric; novel

  • 奇襲きしゅう

    surprise attack

  • 怪奇かいき
    N1

    bizarre; strange; weird; mysterious

  • 奇遇きぐう

    unexpected meeting; coincidence

  • 奇抜きばつ

    (very) unusual; unconventional; eccentric; novel; original; striking; bizarre; wild

  • 奇形きけい

    deformity; malformation

  • 奇行きこう

    eccentricity; eccentric behaviour

  • 猟奇りょうき

    seeking the bizarre (abnormal, grotesque, etc.)

  • 奇声きせい

    strange voice

  • 奇人きじん

    queer fellow; odd fellow; eccentric person; crank; oddball; freak

  • 奇怪きかい

    strange; wonderful; weird; outrageous; mysterious

  • 奇数きすう
    N1

    odd number

  • 奇しくもくしくも

    strangely; oddly; miraculously; mysteriously

  • 奇術きじゅつ

    magic; conjuring; sleight of hand; legerdemain

  • 数奇すうき

    misfortune; adverse fortune; hapless fate

  • 奇異きい

    odd; strange; queer; peculiar

  • 伝奇でんき

    fantasy fiction; bizarre fiction

Explore all words using 奇 →

Study

Etymology

奇 combines 大 (big) and 可 (possible/approval), but the historical origin is not fully clear. It may have originally expressed something extraordinary or remarkable, with 可 possibly contributing a phonetic element.

Meaning mnemonic

Imagine something so big (大) that it's barely possible (可) to believe—that's how strange and curious it is.

Reading mnemonic

For キ, picture a strange key (キ) that unlocks a box of curiosities: the key's odd shape matches the kanji's meaning.