How to say "strange" in Japanese

• 変へんJLPT N4approx.Common
  na-adjectiveThe everyday word for something odd or weird: a strange sound, an odd taste, a weird person. When English "strange" just means "not normal, odd," this is usually the word you want.
  そのオレンジは後味あとあじが変へんだった。↗

  The orange left a strange taste in my mouth.
• 妙みょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounCovers a curious, subtle kind of strangeness — something you sense is off without being able to say why. Typical contexts are odd feelings and vague impressions that something is not quite right.
  彼かれは自分じぶんの妙みょうな行動こうどうについて明確めいかくに説明せつめいはしなかった。↗

  He offered no specific explanation for his strange behavior.
• 不思議ふしぎJLPT N3approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounDespite matching "strange," this really means mysterious, wondrous or incredible — things that inspire wonder, like unexplainable phenomena. For the "odd or weird" sense of "strange," it is seldom the word you want.
  この刀かたなには不思議ふしぎないわれがある。↗

  This sword has a strange history.
• 奇妙きみょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounCovers strangeness that strikes the observer as peculiar or queer: an odd shape, strange behavior, an eerie coincidence. It points to conspicuous, marked oddness rather than mild deviation from the norm.
  これはとても奇妙きみょうな手紙てがみです。↗

  This is a very strange letter.
• 異様いようCommon
  na-adjective, nounFor strangeness so marked it feels abnormal or unsettling: a bizarre sight, an uncanny appearance. It fits things that deviate strikingly from the normal, not mildly odd ones.
  異様いような光景こうけいが彼女かのじょの目めに留とまった。↗

  A strange sight greeted her eyes.

Use 変 for everyday odd or weird things, 妙 for a curious off feeling, 奇妙 for striking peculiarity, 異様 for bizarre or unsettling strangeness, and 不思議 only for the mysterious or wondrous sense.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 変へんstrange
• 妙みょうstrange
• 不思議ふしぎwonderful
• 奇妙きみょうstrange
• 異様いようstrange
• 奇怪きかいstrange
• 未知みちnot yet known
• とんだunexpected
• 怪奇かいきbizarre
• 風変わりふうがわりstrange
• 見知らぬみしらぬstrange
• 見ず知らずみずしらずstrange
• 奇異きいodd
• 変わったかわったunusual
• 予想外よそうがいunexpected
• グロテスクgrotesque
• 異ないなstrange
• 奇きstrange
• へんてこstrange
• ひょんなstrange
• 奇態きたいstrange
• へんてこりんstrange
• 珍奇ちんきstrange
• 奇しきくしきstrange
• へんちくりんstrange
• 得体の知れないえたいのしれないstrange
• 底気味悪いそこきみわるいstrange
• 得体が知れないえたいがしれないstrange
• いなげなstrange
• 得体の知れぬえたいのしれぬstrange
• 物珍しいものめずらしいcurious
• けったいodd
• 面妖めんようweird
• 知らないしらないunknown
• 奇なるきなるodd
• 鵺的ぬえてきmysterious
• 非日常的ひにちじょうてきextraordinary
• 見覚えのないみおぼえのないunfamiliar
• 味なあじなsmart
• 一種異様いっしゅいようeccentric
• おかしいstrange
• おかしなstrange
• 乙おつstrange
• 珍ちんstrange
• 異いstrange
• 奇特きとくstrange (person)
• 怪しいあやしいstrange
• 味あじsmart
• どうかstrange