非常
Meaning in Englishemergency, extraordinary, unusual
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
非常 means a state outside normal conditions requiring prompt attention; it denotes emergencies and critical situations, and it also signals exceptional degree in compounds like 非常に.
Main meanings
- As a noun, emergency or urgent situation requiring prompt action
- In compounds, indicates a special or critical state (as in 非常時, 非常口)
- As a basis for the adverbial form 非常に to express a high degree (extremely)
How to use it
Used in formal, technical, and public-safety contexts to denote emergencies or exceptional conditions; common in signage and official communication; the adverbial form 非常に (hijō ni) expresses a high degree and is used with adjectives or verbs; in casual conversation speakers often opt for more specific terms like 緊急 (kinkyū) for urgent situations.
Variants and close terms
- 緊急 (kinkyū) — emergency
- 異常 (ijō) — abnormal/exceptional
- 非常に (hijō ni) — extremely
Composition
- 非 — negative prefix: not, non
- 常 — usual, constant
- Together express 'not normal', leading to notions of emergency or extraordinary
Etymology
hi (非) and jō (常) combine in on'yomi to yield hijō; this Sino-Japanese reading pattern shows how two kanji pairings produce a single native pronunciation without using kun readings.
Word class
noun (名詞)