珍しい
mezurashii[me̞zɨɾa̠ɕiː]
The Japanese word for "unusual" is 珍しい (mezurashii).
珍しい is used to express that something is rare or a novelty. It often carries a positive or neutral connotation, suggesting that something is "one of a kind."
Meaning: not usual (adj)
Which one should you use?
While 珍しい implies something is a rare novelty, the word 変な (hen na) implies something is strange, weird or suspicious. Additionally, if you want to express that something is strange or weird in an informal setting, おかしい (okashii) is a suitable word to use.
How do you pronounce it?
mezurashii
Did you know?
- The roots of 珍しい can be traced back to the verb 愛でる (mederu), which means to admire or appreciate beauty. This connection shows how something 'unusual' was once viewed as something 'precious'.
- The word おかしい can mean 'strange', but it also means 'funny' or 'amusing' in Japanese.
Examples in context
- 珍しい名前だね。It's an unusual name.This sentence shows how to describe an unusual name using 珍しい.Tatoeba #12698600 by small_snow, translation #4627277 by Hybrid
- 珍しいこともあるもんだ。That's unusual.This sentence illustrates a way to say that something is unusual using 珍しい.Tatoeba #125722 by bunbuku, translation #278270 by CK
- 彼が早起きするなんて珍しい。It's unusual for him to get up early.This sentence demonstrates using 珍しい to describe an unusual habit of someone.Tatoeba #119691 by bunbuku, translation #283971 by CK
- この映画、キモい場面があったよ。There was a creepy scene in this movie.
- あのおかしい言動には驚いた。I was surprised by that strange behavior.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiroto and Misaki are looking at a rare flower in a garden.
- 大翔 Hirotoこの花はとても珍しいね。Kono hana wa totemo mezurashii ne.This flower is very unusual, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misaki本当だね。見たことがないよ。Hontou da ne. Mita koto ga nai yo.You're right. I've never seen one before.
- 大翔 Hirotoここで咲くのは珍しいと思う。Koko de saku no wa mezurashii to omou.I think it's unusual for it to bloom here.
- 美咲 Misakiきっと特別な種類なんだろうね。Kitto tokubetsuna shurui nandaro ne.It must be a special species.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unusual” 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.
