異様|いようiyou[0]heiban (flat)

1. na-adjective, nounstrange; odd; peculiar; weird; bizarre; unusual
   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.

• Synonym風変わりふうがわりNeutralMeans out of the ordinary, a bit unusual — mostly a neutral judgement, often of people or things. 「異様」 is more negative and stronger.
• Synonym奇怪きかいWrittenWritten/formal prose for the bizarre and contrary to reason, also outrageous, as in 「奇怪な事件」. Carries a stronger sense of eeriness and suspicion than 「異様」.
• Synonym異常いじょうNeutralMeans a departure from the normal, something wrong, as in 「異常気象」 or 「異常なし」. 「異様」 stresses the strange impression something gives.
• Synonym妙みょうNeutralMeans strange, an indefinable something-is-off feeling, as in 「妙な気分」; it can also mean skilful. 「異様」 shows abnormality more markedly.
• Synonym奇妙きみょうNeutralMeans strange, mysterious, as in 「奇妙な体験」. Milder than 「異様」, and not necessarily unsettling.
• Synonym変へんNeutralThe commonest everyday word for strange or off, as in 「変な人」. 「異様」 is more literary and its abnormality stronger.
• Synonym変わったかわったNeutralThe past form of 「変わる」 used before a noun, as in 「変わった人」: different from the crowd, mostly neutral. 「異様」 leans negative.
• Synonym怪奇かいきWrittenWritten/formal prose for the eerie and uncanny, mostly in 「怪奇現象」 or 「怪奇小説」, with a mysterious, spooky colour. 「異様」 need not involve the supernatural.
• Synonym奇異きいWrittenWritten/formal prose for the peculiar and odd, as in 「奇異な目で見る」. Close in meaning to 「異様」, but seen mostly in writing.
• Synonym珍妙ちんみょうNeutralMeans odd and comical at once, with a laughable touch, as in 「珍妙な格好」. 「異様」 is not usually humorous.
• SynonymへんてこCasualColloquial for something quirky and comical, often with a funny tone. 「異様」 is more serious, usually unsettling or startling.
• Synonym奇態きたいWrittenWritten/formal prose for the bizarre and curious; the tone is old-fashioned and rare today. It need not feel unsettling — in daily speech say 「奇妙」 or 「変」.
• SynonymへんてこりんCasualColloquial emphatic form of 「変てこ」 for something very odd, with a comic touch. 「異様」 normally lacks this playful tone.
• Synonym奇矯ききょうWrittenWritten/formal prose for eccentric speech, conduct or ideas, as in 「奇矯な言動」. 「異様」 applies more widely — to looks, atmosphere and more.
• Synonym妙ちくりんみょうちくりんCasualColloquial for baffling, weird in an odd way, often teasing. 「異様」 is more serious in tone, usually with unease or surprise.
• SynonymけったいWrittenA medical term for an intermittent, irregular pulse; unrelated to the 'strange' sense of 「異様」 and not interchangeable with it.
• Synonym妙ちきりんみょうちきりんCasualColloquial, synonymous with 「妙ちくりん」: weird and baffling, with a teasing tone. 「異様」 generally lacks this playful note.
• Synonym奇々怪々ききかいかいWrittenWritten/formal prose, a four-character word for the utterly bizarre, mostly of events and phenomena. More exaggerated than 「異様」.
• Related並み外れなみはずれNeutralMeans far beyond the usual degree, mostly praise, as in 「並外れた体力」. 「異様」 stresses abnormal strangeness and carries no compliment.
• Related異色いしょくNeutralMeans distinctive, one of a kind, mostly praise, as in 「異色の経歴」. 「異様」 is negative strangeness.
• Antonym普通ふつうNeutralAntonym. The everyday word for ordinary, nothing special about it; the direct opposite of the abnormality of 「異様」.
• Antonym正常せいじょうNeutralAntonym. Normal in state, nothing amiss — mostly of functions and order; opposed to the abnormal 「異様」.
• Antonym平凡へいぼんNeutralAntonym. Plain and unremarkable, with nothing outstanding; opposed to the eye-catching abnormality of 「異様」.

Use 「異様」 for something strikingly abnormal that gives an eerie, unsettling impression, as in 「異様な光景」 or 「異様な執念」. For plain oddness pick 「変」 or 「奇妙」; for a departure from the norm, 「異常」; for positive distinctiveness, 「異色」.

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

1. 他ほかの物ものとは違ちがっており、変かわった様子ようすであること。また、そのさま。