About
奇 is a phonosemantic compound: 大 (dà, 'big') placed at the top conveys the general meaning, while 可 (kě, related to approval or possibility) at the bottom provides the pronunciation. The character originally depicted a person in a uniquely asymmetrical pose, visually expressing something out of the ordinary. This sense of imbalance led to the mathematical notion of an odd number, which cannot be divided into two equal parts. Later, the meaning broadened to describe anything strange, rare, or wonderfully unexpected.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这件事很奇怪。
我对他感到好奇。
这是一个奇特的玩具。
奇迹出现在我们面前。
她喜欢看奇幻小说。
大自然创造了许多奇观。
这个发明真是奇妙。
在奇异的光芒中,物体消失了。
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.