不寻常 (bù xún cháng)

adjective HSK 4

Traditional 不尋常

bù xún cháng

unusual · uncommon · extraordinary · out of the ordinary

Meaning

This adjective describes something that deviates from what is normal, typical, or expected. It combines the negative prefix 不 (not) with 寻常 (ordinary/common), literally meaning 'not ordinary.' The term can describe people, events, objects, or situations that stand out as exceptional, rare, or peculiar.

Usage

Commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to highlight something noteworthy or abnormal. It typically appears before nouns as a modifier or after 很/非常 for emphasis. The tone is generally neutral and can be positive (remarkably good) or negative (strangely bad) depending on context. Often used in narrative descriptions and formal discussions.

Examples

01
今天发生了一件不寻常的事情。
Jīn tiān fā shēng le yī jiàn bù xún cháng de shì qing.
Something unusual happened today.
02
他的成功并不寻常，背后付出了很多努力。
Tā de chéng gōng bìng bù xún cháng, bèi hòu fù chū le hěn duō nǔ lì.
His success is extraordinary; he put in a lot of effort behind the scenes.

Characters

Common collocations

不寻常的经历
bù xún cháng de jīng lì
unusual experience
不寻常的现象
bù xún cháng de xiàn xiàng
unusual phenomenon
很不寻常
hěn bù xún cháng
very unusual
并不寻常
bìng bù xún cháng
not at all ordinary

Antonyms

Origin

寻常 originally meant 'ordinary' or 'common' in Classical Chinese, with 寻 and 常 both being ancient units of measurement (eight chi and double that respectively), thus referring to ordinary, everyday dimensions. Adding 不 creates the negation, forming a word for 'not ordinary.'