# 異 — different; unusual

異 means “different; unusual”. It is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 11 strokes. On'yomi: イ (i). Kun'yomi: こと(なる) (kotonaru). You'll see it in words such as 異なる (kotonaru, “to differ; to be different”).

- Meaning: different; unusual
- On'yomi: イ (i)
- Kun'yomi: こと(なる) (kotonaru)
- Strokes: 11
- Level: JLPT N2 · set Qualities 1

## How to remember 異

Parts: 田 rice field · 共 together

## Words with 異

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 異なる | ことなる (kotonaru) | to differ; to be different |

## Don't confuse it with

[寒](https://moji.ninja/n4-kanji/cold-weather/) · [演](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/perform/)

## More in the “Qualities 1” set

[単](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/simple/) · [完](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/complete/) · [危](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/dangerous/) · [異](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/different/) · [適](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/suitable/) · [清](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/pure/) · [険](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/steep/) · [均](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/level/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/different/. Last updated 2026-11-01.