奇 (qí/jī) — strange, rare; (jī) odd (of numbers), not even

entries → 奇

TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字

奇 character · TOCFL 2 (est.)

奇＝大＋可

ㄑㄧˊ · qí/jī

adj — strange, rare; (jī) odd (of numbers), not even

字源 FORM — what the parts do

大義a big standing figure — out of the ordinary

可聲kě — gives the shape, worn across to qí/jī

{g,k,h}IFkě → qí/jī — the {k} reading crossing

A big figure (大) up top, the sound 可 (kě) below, ground across to qí. 說文 reads it 異也 — out of the common run. From strange come 奇怪、奇妙 (odd, marvelous) and 奇特 (singular). The second reading, jī, runs the "not paired" line: 一曰不耦 — what won't split into two — and lands on the odd numbers, 奇數.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

一個大（大）字頂著——這人這事，異於常人常事，奇。

A big figure (大) standing out — this person, this thing, off the common run: 奇.

字源記憶法

意 · Meanings

qí

(本義)奇異、奇怪— strange, odd, rare常用

→奇妙、奇特— marvelous, singular常用

jī

(本義)奇數— odd (number), not even常用

(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension