adjective / noun HSK 4
strange · odd · wonderful · rare · surprising
Meaning
奇 describes something that deviates from the ordinary or expected. It can mean strange or odd in a neutral or negative sense, but also wonderful, remarkable, or rare in a positive sense. The specific meaning depends heavily on context and what it modifies.
Usage
Native speakers use 奇 both independently and in compounds. When meaning 'strange,' it often appears in 奇怪 (qíguài). When meaning 'wonderful' or 'rare,' it appears in words like 奇妙 (qímiào, marvelous) or 好奇 (hàoqí, curious). As a standalone adjective, it's more literary than colloquial speech.
Examples
- 01这件事真奇怪。.This matter is really strange.
- 02孩子们对世界充满好奇。.Children are full of curiosity about the world.
Common collocations
- 奇迹miracle
- 奇妙wonderful, marvelous
- 出奇extraordinarily, remarkably
- 奇特peculiar, unique
Antonyms
Origin
The character combines 大 (big) and 可 (can), originally suggesting something so unusual it makes one marvel. The semantic range includes both 'strangely unusual' and 'unusually wonderful.'