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奇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
奇jīodd (number)ag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇jīstrangeag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇jīoddag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇jīweirdag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇jīwonderfulag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇jīsurprisinglyag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇jīunusuallyag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇jīstrange, unusual, odd; uncanny, occultag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇qíodd (number)ag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇qístrangeag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇qíoddag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇qíweirdag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇qíwonderfulag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇qísurprisinglyag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇qíunusuallyag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
奇qístrange, unusual, odd; uncanny, occultag, 8 strokes, radical 大, rank #1831, Medium
jī(ji1)ji
primary
T1
  1. 1odd (number)
  2. 2strange
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

奇jī(ji1)

The character '奇' (jī) primarily means 'strange' or 'odd.' It is used to describe anything that is unusual or extraordinary, whether it be a peculiar event or an odd number in mathematics. This character can convey surprise or wonder in various contexts, such as unexpected occurrences or remarkable talents.

Strokes8Radical大Frequency#1831DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

'奇' is often associated with various aspects of Chinese culture, such as folklore and mythology, where strange or unusual occurrences can signal a deeper meaning or a supernatural phenomenon. For example, the concept of '奇迹' (qíjì) meaning 'miracle' reflects the cultural appreciation for the extraordinary.

Memory tip

To remember '奇' (jī), think of a quirky character who is always doing strange things. The radical '奇' resembles a person with a raised hand, as if they are saying, 'Look at how odd I am!' This connection between the visual form and the meaning of strangeness will help you recall both the character and its pronunciation.

Meanings of 奇

jī(ji1)
primary
1odd (number)
2strange
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 奇 means.

About 奇

奇Simplified
8Strokes
大Radical
形容词性语素xíngróngcíadjective root (adj.root)Part of Speech
#1831Frequency Rank

Podcast: 奇

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Podcast: 奇

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AI study notes for 奇

Quick Contrast

怪 (guài) - use '奇' (jī) for something that is surprisingly unusual or extraordinary, while '怪' (guài) emphasizes something that is strange or unsettling.

Usage Notes

A common mistake is to confuse '奇' with '奇怪' (qíguài), which means 'strange' but carries a more negative connotation. '奇' can be used in both formal and informal contexts, often paired with words like '妙' (miào) to mean 'wonderful.' Be careful with the tone; 'jī' has a high first tone, which can easily be mispronounced.

HSK Study Tips

While '奇' is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it complements HSK Level 3 words like '怪' (guài) and '特别' (tèbié). Students should focus on understanding the contexts in which '奇' can be used, especially in describing experiences or feelings that fall outside the norm.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse '奇' with '奇怪' and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '他的行为很奇怪' (His behavior is very strange) is correct, but saying '他的行为很奇' is incorrect. Always ensure that '奇' is used in contexts that highlight wonder or extraordinary qualities.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 奇

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Etymology of 奇

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 大 represents the meaning and 可 represents the sound.

Memory hint

A person 大 riding a horse 可

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 奇?

Decomposition of 奇

IDS Structure⿱大可
奇Full character
=
大da4
top
可ke3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 奇?

How to say odd (number) in Chinese

“odd (number)” in Chinese is奇jī

The character '奇' (jī) primarily means 'strange' or 'odd.' It is used to describe anything that is unusual or extraordinary, whether it be a peculiar event or an odd number in mathematics. This character can convey surprise or wonder in various contexts, such as unexpected occurrences or remarkable talents.

When to use 奇

A common mistake is to confuse '奇' with '奇怪' (qíguài), which means 'strange' but carries a more negative connotation. '奇' can be used in both formal and informal contexts, often paired with words like '妙' (miào) to mean 'wonderful.' Be careful with the tone; 'jī' has a high first tone, which can easily be mispronounced.

奇 or something close to it

怪 (guài) - use '奇' (jī) for something that is surprisingly unusual or extraordinary, while '怪' (guài) emphasizes something that is strange or unsettling.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse '奇' with '奇怪' and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '他的行为很奇怪' (His behavior is very strange) is correct, but saying '他的行为很奇' is incorrect. Always ensure that '奇' is used in contexts that highlight wonder or extraordinary qualities.

Write 奇

奇

Practice writing 奇 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 奇

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

最近天气有点儿____怪,一会儿冷,一会儿热。

The weather has been strange lately — cold one moment, hot the next.

Common confusions with 奇

奇vs期
qī

Same pronunciation but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “odd (number)”?

or

Example sentences for 奇 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她态度有些奇怪,让我迷惑不解。

tā tàidù yǒuxiē qíguài, ràng wǒ míhuòbùjiě。

There was something strange in her attitude which mystified me.
2
她种了很多我不熟悉的奇妙植物。

tā zhǒng le hěn duō wǒ bù shúxi de qímiào zhíwù。

She grew many wonderful plants that were unfamiliar to me.
3
你的生活从那时起一定非常平淡无奇。

nǐ de shēnghuó cóng nà shí qǐ yídìng fēicháng píngdàn wú jī。

Your life since then must have seemed very ordinary.
4
奇怪的是,那些不相配的伴侣实际上却彼此需要。

qíguài de shì, nàxiē bù Xiāng pèi de bànlǚ shíjìshàng què bǐcǐ xūyào。

In some perverse way the ill-matched partners do actually need each other.
5
惊奇的是地板居然从未塌陷。

jīngqí de shì dìbǎn jūrán cóngwèi tā xiàn。

It was a marvel that the floor never gave way.
6
屋子内部被挡住了,以防路人好奇地张望。

wūzi nèibù bèi dǎng zhù le, yǐ fáng lùrén hàoqí dì zhāng wàng。

The interior was shielded from the curious gaze of passersby.
7
小孩子识字的速度不同,这不足为奇。

xiǎohái zi shízì de sùdù bùtóng, zhè bùzú wèi jī。

It is not surprising that children learn to read at different rates.
8
这丝毫不足为奇。

zhè sīháo bùzú wèi jī。

This is by no means out of the ordinary.
9
我们一直在关注玄奇事物这一神秘世界。

wǒmen yìzhí zài guānzhù xuán jī shìwù zhè yī shénmì shìjiè。

We have been looking at the shadowy world of the paranormal.
10
这实在很离奇,我忍不住咯咯笑了起来。

zhè shízài hěn líqí, wǒ rěnbuzhù gē gē xiào le qǐlái。

It was so unreal that I broke into a fit of giggles.

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Cultural Notes for 奇

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, the concept of '奇' often relates to the idea of mystery and the unknown, which is frequently celebrated in literature and art. The beauty of the unexpected is highly valued.

Word Family of 奇

Compounds34
骑jì(Taiwan) saddle horse
寄jìto live (in a house)
椅yǐchair
崎qírough, uneven; jagged, rugged
畸jīodd, unusual; fraction, remainder
琦qíjade, gem, precious stone
倚yǐto rely on, to depend on
绮qǐfine silk; elegant, beautiful
犄jīanimal horns
埼qíheadland
旖yǐromantic; tender, charming
剞jīcarving or engraving; knife; grave
掎jǐto pull, to drag; to drag one's feet
攲qī
敧jī
欹yīpleading interjection
猗yīexclamation of admiration
觭jī
踦yǐ
锜qí
齮yǐto bite
婍qǐ
徛jì
旑yǐ
渏yī
碕qí
綺qǐfine silk; elegant, beautiful
裿yǐ
躸jī
輢yǐ
錡qí
陭yì
騎qíto ride, to mount; cavalry
鵸qí
Words containing this character20
奇怪qíguàistrange
奇jīodd
神奇shénqímagical
奇迹qíjìmiracle奇跡
好奇hàoqíinquisitive
传奇chuánqílegendary傳奇
奇妙qímiàofantastic
惊奇jīngqíto be amazed驚奇
奇特qítèpeculiar
刘少奇liúshàoqíLiu Shaoqi (1898-1969), Chinese communist leader, a martyr of the Cultural Revolution劉少奇
好奇心hàoqíxīninterest in sth
奇异qíyìfantastic奇異
新奇xīnqínovelty
离奇líqíodd離奇
出奇chūqíextraordinary
米奇mǐqíMickey or Mitch (name)
奇才qícáigenius
奇葩qípāexotic flower
道奇dàoqíDodge, US automobile brand, division of Chrysler LLC
稀奇xīqírare
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 奇

What does 骑 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 奇

While both 奇 (qí) and 怪 (guài) can mean 'strange' or 'weird,' there are subtle differences in their usage. 奇 is often used in a more positive or neutral context, implying something wonderful or astonishing, while 怪 tends to have a more negative connotation, suggesting something unsettling or abnormal.

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