珍しい

• Reading: めずらしい
• Romaji: mezurashii
• Kanji breakdown: 珍 (chin/mezu) — rare, curious, precious
• Pronunciation: /me.zɯ.ɾa.ɕiː/

Meaning

Rare; uncommon; unusual; curious. Describes something not often seen or encountered.

An i-adjective. Conjugates regularly: 珍しくない (not rare), 珍しかった (was rare). Often used as an exclamation when encountering something unexpected. Can modify both positive (珍しい花 = rare flower) and neutral situations (珍しく早く起きた = unusually woke up early). Also used sarcastically.

Examples

1. この花はとても珍しい種類だそうです。 I hear this flower is a very rare species.
2. 今日は珍しく早く帰ってきたね。 You came home early today — that's unusual.
3. 外国で珍しい食べ物をたくさん食べました。 I ate a lot of unusual foods when I was abroad.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, nature, travel

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 珍 combines 王 (jewel radical) with 㐱 (rare). Depicts a rare jewel — something precious because it is seldom found.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal