まれ・稀・希mare[0]heiban (flat)

1. na-adjectiverare; seldom
   チャンスというものはいずれにしても、まれにしかない。↗

   Chances come rarely in any case.

• Synonym珍しいめずらしいNeutralThe everyday word for something rare or novel; the most common choice in daily use and it can carry a note of surprise. 「稀」 focuses on low frequency.
• Synonym希少きしょうNeutralMeans scarce, with the emphasis on small numbers, as in 「希少価値」; 「稀」 is about things seldom happening rather than quantity.
• Synonym珍ちんWrittenWritten element used in compounds, as in 「珍事」「珍品」.
• Synonym希代きたいWrittenWritten word for something seldom seen in the world, as in 「希代の名人」「希代の悪党」 — works for good and bad alike.
• Synonym希有けうWrittenWritten word for something rare and uncommon, as in 「希有な例」; 「稀」 is more often used adverbially as 「まれに」.
• SynonymめったにないNeutralA set phrase for things that hardly ever happen or are rarely seen; 「稀」 is more written in feel and more concise.
• Synonym稀覯きこうWrittenWritten word for something rare and hard to come by; mostly seen in 「稀覯本」, prized books seldom encountered, not limited to old volumes.
• Related並み外れなみはずれNeutralMeans far beyond the average level — said of ability, scale, quantity and more; 「稀」 is about rarity, not degree.
• Related異常いじょうNeutralMeans abnormal or not normal and carries a negative shade; 「稀」 is neutral.
• Related非凡ひぼんWrittenWritten word for extraordinary, outstanding ability, with a complimentary tone; 「稀」 only states that something is rare.
• Related異色いしょくNeutralMeans distinctive or one of a kind, with the emphasis on style; 「稀」 is about how seldom something happens.
• Related風変わりふうがわりNeutralMeans quirky or unlike the norm, stressing oddness; 「稀」 stresses that something happens rarely.
• Related特別とくべつNeutralMeans special, with the nuance of being treated differently from the rest; 「稀」 is about rarity.
• Related異例いれいWrittenWritten word for an exceptional, out-of-the-ordinary case, as in 「異例の人事」.
• RelatedスペシャルNeutralLoanword meaning special, also a TV special; 「稀」 is about rarity.
• Related人並みはずれたひとなみはずれたNeutralMeans surpassing ordinary people — covers ability, physique and more; 「稀」 is about how seldom something occurs.
• Related奇矯ききょうWrittenWritten word for eccentric, extreme speech and behavior; 「稀」 only says that something is rare.
• Related桁外れけたはずれNeutralMeans off the scale or wildly out of line, stressing degree; 「稀」 is about frequency — how seldom something occurs.
• RelatedとてつもないNeutralMeans outrageous or staggering, stressing degree; 「稀」 simply notes that something is rare.
• Related珍奇ちんきWrittenWritten word for rare and curious things — objects, phenomena, customs all fit; 「稀」 is more general.
• Related奇きWrittenUsed as a suffix or in written prose for the strange and odd, as in 「奇をてらう」.
• Antonym多いおおいNeutralAntonym: many or frequent — the opposite of rare 「稀」.
• Antonym頻繁ひんぱんNeutralAntonym: frequent, the opposite of 「稀」 when it means something happens only occasionally.
• Antonym普通ふつうNeutralAntonym: ordinary and commonly seen, the opposite of rare 「稀」.

Use 「稀」 for what seldom happens or is rarely seen, as in 「まれに見る」. In everyday speech say 「珍しい」; for small quantity 「希少」; for things you hardly ever see 「滅多にない」; for the common case 「普通」. In writing, 「希有」 is a formal synonym, 「稀覯」 rare books, 「異例」 exceptional cases, 「希代」 the unparalleled (good or bad), 「非凡」 the outstanding. 「並み外れ」「桁外れ」「途轍もない」「人並みはずれた」 stress degree, not frequency; 「異色」 style; 「風変わり」「奇矯」 oddness; 「珍奇」 rare curiosities; 「特別」「スペシャル」 special treatment; 「異常」 abnormality. Opposites: 「多い」, 「頻繁」.

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

1. めったにないこと。
2. 起おこる回数かいすうがとても少すくないようす。