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不同寻常 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
不同寻常out of the ordinary; unusualHSK 7, unknown, 27 strokes, rank #10797, Very Hard
  1. 1out of the ordinary
  2. 2unusual
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March 24, 2026

不同寻常

不同寻常 (bùtóng xúncháng) means 'unusual' or 'extraordinary.' It describes something that stands out from the norm or is not typical in a certain context, often used to highlight unique qualities or exceptional circumstances.

Strokes27Frequency#10797DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being different or unique is often celebrated, especially in art and food. The phrase is frequently used to describe folk customs or traditional practices that deviate from mainstream behaviors.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'bù' (not) and 'tóng' (same), together they create something that is 'not the same' or 'different.' Picture a vibrant peacock among a flock of ordinary pigeons, representing the extraordinary nature of something differing from the usual.

Meanings of 不同寻常

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What does 不同寻常 mean?

不同寻常

About 不同寻常

不同寻常Simplified
27Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

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Podcast: 不同寻常

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AI Study Notes for 不同寻常

Quick Contrast

不同寻常 (unusual) vs 特别 (special) — use 不同寻常 when emphasizing deviation from the norm, while 特别 highlights distinctiveness or uniqueness in a positive context.

Usage Notes

This idiom is typically used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious of its tone when describing people or behaviors, as it can imply a sense of criticism if not used carefully. Common collocations include '不同寻常的经历' (unusual experience) or '不同寻常的表现' (extraordinary performance).

HSK Study Tips

Although 不同寻常 isn't in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it comprises common HSK elements: 不 (not) and 常 (often). Students should focus on recognizing the components and their meanings to understand idiomatic expressions more broadly.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 不同寻常 with the simpler 常见 (chángjiàn) and use it inappropriately. For example, saying '这个是不同寻常的' (This is unusual) when referring to something plainly common, such as '这是一杯水' (This is a cup of water) is incorrect. Use 常见 here instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 不同寻常

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Component Characters

不bù(negative prefix)
HSK 14 strokes一
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同tóng(used in given names)
HSK 56 strokes口
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寻xúnto search
HSK 76 strokes彐
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常chángalways
HSK 311 strokes巾
View full entry

How to say out of the ordinary in Chinese

“out of the ordinary” in Chinese is不同寻常

不同寻常 (bùtóng xúncháng) means 'unusual' or 'extraordinary.' It describes something that stands out from the norm or is not typical in a certain context, often used to highlight unique qualities or exceptional circumstances.

When to use 不同寻常

This idiom is typically used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious of its tone when describing people or behaviors, as it can imply a sense of criticism if not used carefully. Common collocations include '不同寻常的经历' (unusual experience) or '不同寻常的表现' (extraordinary performance).

不同寻常 or something close to it

不同寻常 (unusual) vs 特别 (special) — use 不同寻常 when emphasizing deviation from the norm, while 特别 highlights distinctiveness or uniqueness in a positive context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 不同寻常 with the simpler 常见 (chángjiàn) and use it inappropriately. For example, saying '这个是不同寻常的' (This is unusual) when referring to something plainly common, such as '这是一杯水' (This is a cup of water) is incorrect. Use 常见 here instead.

Write 不同寻常

不
同
寻
常

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 不同寻常

Yes, but be careful with the context, as it could be seen as a compliment or a criticism depending on the tone.

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