珍しい

mezurashii
adjectiveIntermediate
general

Rare, uncommon, or unusual

この本はとても珍しい。

This book is very rare.

珍しい機会だ。

It's a rare opportunity.

💡

Often used to describe things that are not commonly seen or encountered.

Collocations

珍しいものrare thing珍しい経験rare experience珍しい機会rare opportunity

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

珍重するphrase
to treasure or value something rare

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

珍しい is often used to express admiration or surprise at something uncommon.

Gold Rule

Politeness

When describing something as rare, it's often polite to use 珍しい rather than more casual terms.

📖Word Origin

Derived from the verb 珍重する (chinjō suru), meaning to value or treasure something rare.

📝Usage Notes

Can be used to describe both tangible objects and abstract concepts that are uncommon.

Word Breakdown

rare or precious
root
+
しい
adjective-forming suffix
suffix
和英辞典