Expressions· 7 異い 言げん 語ご another language; different languages 異い 域いき の 鬼き person who died in a foreign land; ghost in a foreign land 異い を 唱とな える raise an objection; voice a differing opinion 異い を 立た てる raise an objection; voice a differing opinion Show 2 more Show fewer 異い 議ぎ の 申もうし 立た て formal complaint (criminal case); appeal for reconsideration; protest Kanji 異 uncommon, different, queerness Related words 異なる is the common verb meaning 'to differ', while 異 is the more literary noun/prefix used mainly in compounds.
違う is the everyday verb for 'to be different' or 'to be wrong', whereas 異 is a formal written noun/prefix rarely used alone.
変 is the casual adjectival noun for 'strange' or 'weird', while 異 carries the same meaning but in a much more formal, literary register.
Don't confuse with 意 (meaning 'intention, meaning', as in 意味 ) shares the reading い with 異 but has an unrelated meaning, so learners can mix up compounds like 意義 and 異議 .
Word family· 132 abnormal; unusual; extraordinary
difference; disparity; gap
opposite sex · isomerism
wonder; miracle; marvel
unique; peculiar; singular
Show 25 more Show fewer unusual occurrence; anomaly · variation; mutation
exceptional; unprecedented; unusual
objection; dissent; protest
heresy; heterodoxy; nonconformity
personnel change; transfer; reshuffle
strange; odd; peculiar; weird; bizarre; unusual
different opinion; objection
unusual event; abnormal occurrence; anomaly
foreign country; foreign land
different kind; heterogeneous; heterologous
variant; variant form · heteromorphism; heteromorphy
fantastic; grotesque; strange-looking
unique; distinctive; novel · different color
different in nature; heterogeneous; alien
another name; nickname; alias · synonym (biology)
pagan; heathen; heretic
offensive smell; stench; foul odor
mystery; strangeness; bizarre phenomenon · ghost; monster; apparition
different mother; half- (sibling)
strange tale; curious report
odd; strange; peculiar
paganism; heathenism; non-mainstream religion
conspicuousness; prominence; distinctiveness
abnormality; unusual condition; something wrong
foreigner; Westerner · different person; another person
See all 132 in Explore →
Etymology The kanji 異 has been used historically to express difference or strangeness. The reading い is the on'yomi, commonly used in compounds. The exact derivation of the word as a standalone term is uncertain, but it is associated with formal and literary registers.
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