How to say "unusual" in Japanese

• 珍しいめずらしいJLPT N4approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThe everyday adjective for something not commonly seen or experienced, hence noteworthy; it covers 'unusual' as 'out of the ordinary,' from unusual sights and names to noticing that someone is acting out of character.
  これは珍めずらしい種類しゅるいの魚さかなです。↗

  This is a strange kind of fish.
• 異常いじょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounCovers 'unusual' as 'abnormal': a condition, situation, or state that departs from the norm, often with a sense that something is wrong. It signals abnormality, not mere rarity.
  そんなにたくさん食たべるのは異常いじょうだ。↗

  It is abnormal to eat so much.
• レアCommon
  na-adjective, no-adjectiveCovers 'unusual' in the sense of 'rare': the loanword from English, used of things that are hard to come by — rare finds or items — much as the English word itself is used.
• 異例いれいCommon
  no-adjective, na-adjectiveCovers 'unusual' as 'exceptional': something that breaks with precedent or departs from the normal course, such as an exceptional decision or measure; it frames the thing as an exception to the rule.
  それは全まったく異例いれいのことだ。↗

  That's an unusual thing, undoubtedly.
• 特段とくだんCommon
  no-adjectiveReally a word for 'special' or 'particular,' often in expressions to the effect that there is nothing special; it is seldom the word you want when you mean 'unusual.'

Choose 「珍しい」 for things rarely seen and thus noteworthy, 異常 for what is abnormal or wrong, 「レア」 for rare finds, 異例 for exceptional breaks with precedent, and 特段 hardly ever, since it really means 'special.'

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

• 珍しいめずらしいrare
• 異常いじょうabnormal
• レアrare
• 異例いれいexceptional
• 特段とくだんexceptional
• 型破りかたやぶりunusual
• 変わったかわったunusual
• 風変わりふうがわりstrange
• 例外的れいがいてきexceptional
• ユニークunique
• 異様いようstrange
• 異色いしょくunique
• 非凡ひぼんextraordinary
• 異ないなstrange
• 異数いすうunusual
• いつにないunusual
• ただならぬunusual
• ただならないunusual
• らしくないunusual
• 珍稀ちんきunusual
• 尋常ならざるじんじょうならざるunusual
• 物珍しいものめずらしいcurious
• 一方ならぬひとかたならぬextraordinary
• 非日常的ひにちじょうてきextraordinary
• 常識破りじょうしきやぶりunconventional
• ひょんなstrange
• 奇抜きばつ(very) unusual
• 非常ひじょうextreme
• おかしいstrange
• おかしなstrange
• 異ことunusual
• 異いstrange
• 掟破りおきてやぶりunusual
• 色変わりいろがわりdifferent