kei4 ji6奇異奇异
Jyutpingkei4 ji6
Yalekèih yih
Definition
Strange, weird, or peculiar.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
While 奇異 shares the meaning of strange with 奇怪, it often carries a stronger nuance of being bizarre, unconventional, or even slightly unsettling. It is frequently used to describe appearances, behaviors, or phenomena that deviate significantly from the norm. Unlike 奇怪, which is very versatile and can simply mean puzzling, 奇異 leans more towards the uncanny or eccentric.
Examples
They are dressed very strangely today.
Why are you looking at me with such a weird expression?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the Mandarin term for kiwi fruit, which is also written as 奇異果. In Cantonese, the fruit is almost exclusively referred to as 奇異果, but when used as an adjective for strange, ensure the context is clear so it is not mistaken for a reference to the fruit.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
