异 meaning and stroke order
Different, strange, unusual; foreign; surprising
How to write 异, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 异
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- different
- other
- hetero-
- unusual
- strange
- surprising
How 异 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Simplified form of 異; a person 共 with a scary face田.
Radical: 廾 (two hands), shared by 10 characters on this site.
How to remember 异
The traditional form 異 shows a person 共 with a scary face 田 on top, something strange and unusual. In the simplified 异, picture the snake-like 巳 held up by two hands 廾, an odd thing to carry, so it means different or strange.
异 (yì) rarely stands alone in speech. It mostly appears in words like 异常 (yìcháng), 差异 (chāyì) and 优异 (yōuyì), where it adds the idea of being different from the normal. Example: 今天天气异常热。(Jīntiān tiānqì yìcháng rè.) Today is unusually hot.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top as 己 (jǐ) or 已 (yǐ) instead of 巳, but in 异 the top stroke closes fully like 巳. Also do not confuse 异 (yì, fourth tone) with 导 (dǎo, to guide), which has a similar top over 寸 instead of 廾.
Common words with 异
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 异常 | yìcháng | unusual; abnormal; extremely; exceptionally | HSK 6 |
| 差异 | chāyì | difference; discrepancy | HSK 6 |
| 怪异 | guàiyì | monstrous; strange | HSK 7-9 |
| 异议 | yìyì | objection; dissent | HSK 7-9 |
| 变异 | biànyì | variation | HSK 7-9 |
| 异性 | yìxìng | the opposite sex; of the opposite sex | HSK 7-9 |
| 异想天开 | yìxiǎng-tiānkāi | (idiom) to imagine the wildest thing; to indulge in fantasy | HSK 7-9 |
| 优异 | yōuyì | exceptional; outstandingly good | HSK 7-9 |
| 诧异 | chàyì | flabbergasted; astonished | HSK 7-9 |
| 大同小异 | dàtóng-xiǎoyì | virtually the same; differing only on small points | HSK 7-9 |
| 奇花异草 | qíhuā-yìcǎo | (idiom) rare or exotic flowers and plants | HSK 7-9 |
| 日新月异 | rìxīn-yuèyì | daily renewal, monthly change (idiom); every day sees new developments | HSK 7-9 |
| 异口同声 | yìkǒu-tóngshēng | different mouths, same voice; to speak in unison (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 因人而异 | yīnrén'éryì | varying from person to person (idiom); different for each individual | HSK 7-9 |
异 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 异
How many strokes are in 异?
异 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 异 mean?
异 (yì) means different, strange, unusual; foreign; surprising. A common word with it is 异常 (yìcháng), meaning "unusual; abnormal; extremely; exceptionally".
How do you pronounce 异?
异 is pronounced yì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 异?
The radical of 异 is 廾, which carries the idea of "two hands". Dictionaries list 异 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 异?
The traditional form of 异 is 異. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 异 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 异 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 异 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 异常 and 非常?
Both can mean extremely before an adjective, but 异常 (yìcháng) is more formal and suggests something out of the ordinary. 异常 can also be an adjective meaning abnormal, as in 情况异常 (the situation is abnormal). 非常 (fēicháng) is the everyday word for very.
Does 异 mean foreign?
Yes, in some words 异 means other or foreign, such as 异国 (yìguó) foreign country and 异乡 (yìxiāng) a place far from home. In 异性 (yìxìng) it means the other sex.