Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 珍しい | mezurashii | [me̞zɨɾa̠ɕiː] (narrow) |
| 稀な |
The word 珍しい is a common and versatile word to express "rare" in Japanese. For a more formal tone, especially when describing collectibles, limited editions or natural resources, you might use 希少. In technical or scientific contexts to describe something exceptional or uncommon, the term 稀有 is used. To express that something is gradually becoming rare or less prevalent, you can use the verb phrase 稀になる.
Which one should you use?
While 珍しい is a general-purpose word for rarity, 稀な is more formal and specifically refers to the statistical rarity or low frequency of an occurrence.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective 珍しい can be conjugated to change its tense or polarity: 珍しかった means was rare, and its negative form is 珍しくない, meaning not rare.
How do you pronounce it?
mezurashii
Did you know?
- The word 珍しい (mezurashii) is actually a descendant of the verb meaning 'to love' or 'to admire'.
- The term 希少 is often found on luxury product packaging to signify 'limited quantity' in a way that feels more prestigious than 珍しい.
- Japanese distinguishes between statistical rarity, expressed as 稀な, and rarity that is notable or surprising, expressed as 珍しい.
Examples in context
- これは極めて珍しい。This is a very rare specimen.This sentence is useful for showing how to use 珍しい to describe a specimen.Tatoeba #1345668 by bunbuku, translation #55495 by CK
- ずいぶんと珍しいですね。It's so rare.This sentence is useful for expressing the degree of rarity with 珍しい.Tatoeba #3506563 by arnab, translation #2249272 by CK
- それはとても珍しいわね。That's very rare.This sentence is useful for using 珍しい in a conversational way.Tatoeba #10040573 by small_snow, translation #2251322 by CK
- めずらしい本Rare book
- めずらしい経験Rare experience
- めずらしい花Rare flower
- このコミックは希少なコレクターズアイテムです。This comic is a rare collector's item.
- この品種の花は全国的に稀有です。This variety of flower is rare throughout the country.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is looking at a unique insect in a park.
- 大翔 Hirotoこんなに珍しい虫、見たことないよ。Konnani mezurashii mushi, mita koto nai yo.I've never seen such a rare insect.
- 結衣 Yui本当だ。すごく珍しいものだね。Hontō da. Sugoku mezurashii mono da ne.You're right. It's a very rare thing.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣、もっと近くで見てもいいかな？Yui, motto chikaku de mite mo ii kana?Yui, is it okay if I look a bit closer?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、大翔、写真も撮っておこうよ。Un, Hiroto, shashin mo totte okō yo.Yeah, Hiroto, let's take a photo too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rare” translations and entries 珍しい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 珍しい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
