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稀 (まれ, mare) Japanese meaning: rare | Kotomora

稀まれ

ま

れ

Common word›JLPTN2›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

rare; uncommon; seldom

usually written using kana alone

Describes something that occurs infrequently or is hard to find. Often used as a na-adjective or adverbially with に.

この地ち域

いき

で

は

雪ゆき

は

まれ

です

。

Snow is rare in this region.

彼かれはまれにしか遅ち刻こくしない。

He is seldom late.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉は稀まれだit is rare that ~
彼かれが遅ち刻こくするのは稀まれだ。
It's rare for him to be late.
稀まれに〈動どう詞し〉rarely does ~ (happen)
この地ち域いきでは稀まれに雪ゆきが降ふる。
It rarely snows in this area.

Expressions

稀まれに見みるrare; extraordinary; singular

Kanji

稀rare, phenomenal, dilute (acid)
希hope, beg, request

Related words

珍めずらしいN4
珍しい is an i-adjective stressing that something is unusual or surprising, while 稀 is a na-adjective stressing low frequency or scarcity.
希き少しょうN1
希少 is a more formal, often written term for something scarce or in short supply, while 稀 is the plainer everyday word for 'rare/infrequent'.
偶たまN3
偶 describes something occasional or infrequent in an everyday, colloquial way (usually as 偶に), while 稀 is a more formal/literary word emphasizing rarity or scarcity.
数かず少すくない
稀 stresses that something is uncommon or infrequent in occurrence, whereas 数少ない focuses on the small count of items or people that exist.

Opposites

頻ひん繁ぱんN2
頻繁 describes something happening often or frequently, the opposite of 稀, which describes something happening rarely.
しきりN2
稀 describes something that happens rarely, the direct opposite of しきり's sense of frequent, repeated occurrence.

Don't confuse with

希き
希 is a bound prefix used inside compounds like 希少 to mean 'rare', while 稀 is a standalone adjective meaning 'rare' that can be used on its own, as in 稀な出来事.

Word family

ごく稀まれ
extremely rare; very uncommon

Written forms

稀まれUsage41%
Standard kanji form; high priority.
まれUsage54%
Kana spelling is common and often preferred in everyday writing.
希まれUsage5%
Alternate kanji form; less common than 稀.

Etymology

The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 稀 and 希 both carry meanings of 'rare' or 'sparse' and are used interchangeably for this word.