How to say "abnormal" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 異常いじょうna-adjective, nounCovers the core sense of 'abnormal': a state or condition that deviates from the norm, whether physical, mental, or situational; the word to reach for in medical, technical, and everyday descriptions.
- 変わったかわったprenominal modifierCovers 'abnormal' only loosely: it describes people, things, or ideas that are odd, peculiar, or out of the ordinary, often with a hint of strangeness; not the word for clinical or technical abnormality.
- 破格はかくno-adjective, na-adjectiveSeldom the right word for 'abnormal': it means extraordinary or exceptional, far beyond the ordinary scale, and often carries a favorable nuance rather than suggesting something wrong or deviant.
- 病的びょうてきna-adjective, no-adjectiveCovers 'abnormal' when the deviation is morbid or pathological — unhealthy in a way that suggests illness, whether of body or mind; use it where English 'pathological' or 'morbid' would fit.
- 不順ふじゅんna-adjective, nounCovers 'abnormal' only in the sense of irregular or unseasonable: weather, seasons, or natural cycles that fail to follow their usual pattern; it does not describe abnormal people, behavior, or conditions generally.
Use 異常 for abnormality as deviation from the norm in general; 「変わった」 for odd or peculiar things; 病的 when the abnormality is morbid or pathological; 不順 for irregular weather or cycles; 破格 is exceptional rather than abnormal.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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