strange
strange — 形容詞
1. Different from most other things of the same type; surprising because it does no
奇怪；怪異
不尋常、出乎意料、難以理解的
Different from most other things of the same type; surprising because it does not match what normally happens or is expected.
Iris heard a strange noise coming from the attic late at night.
Iris 深夜聽到閣樓傳來奇怪的聲音。
attributive: a strange + noun
It seems strange that Chidi has not replied to any of my messages yet.
Chidi 到現在還沒回覆我任何訊息，似乎很奇怪。
it seems strange that + clause
The old house had a strange smell that nobody could explain.
那棟老房子有股沒人能解釋的怪味。
Sirin found it strange that nobody answered the door at her grandmother's house.
Sirin 發現祖母家沒人應門，覺得很奇怪。
文法句型
it is strange that + clause
it is strange to + infinitive
something feels/looks/sounds strange
用法筆記
Common in both attributive position before a noun and predicative position after a linking verb. The pattern 'it is strange that + clause' is especially frequent in spoken English.
常見錯誤
2. Not feeling physically comfortable or behaving in a way that shows something is
不對勁；怪怪
身體或精神狀態感覺不適
Not feeling physically comfortable or behaving in a way that shows something is wrong, often because of illness, tiredness, or an unusual situation.
After the long flight, Élise felt strange and needed some fresh air.
長途飛行後，Élise 覺得身體怪怪的，需要透透氣。
predicative: feel + strange
Rohan looked strange when he heard the news about the accident.
Rohan 聽到事故消息時，臉色看起來不太對勁。
Tamar felt strange all over after eating the unfamiliar spicy dish.
Tamar 吃完那道不熟悉的辣味菜後，全身感到不舒服。
Ife's voice sounded strange on the phone, so I asked if she was sick.
Ife 在電話裡的聲音聽起來怪怪的，所以我問她是不是生病了。
- uncomfortable
more specific to physical unease, less mysterious than 'strange'
- ill at ease
more formal, focuses on mental rather than physical discomfort
- comfortable
the opposite — feeling physically or mentally at ease
文法句型
feel strange
look strange
it feels strange to + infinitive
用法筆記
This sense is almost always predicative — it follows a linking verb like 'feel', 'look', 'sound', or 'seem'. It is never placed directly before a noun (❌ 'a strange person' cannot use this meaning). Distinguish from sense 1: in sense 1, 'strange' describes the thing itself; in sense 2, it describes a person's physical or emotional state.
常見錯誤
3. Not previously known, seen, or experienced; new to a person so that they do not
陌生；不熟悉
未曾見過、聽過或經歷過的
Not previously known, seen, or experienced; new to a person so that they do not feel at home or comfortable with it.
When Xiu moved to the city, every street felt strange to her.
Xiu 搬到那座城市時，每一條街都讓她感到陌生。
predicative: feel strange to + person
Michael woke up in a strange room and could not remember how he got there.
Michael 在陌生的房間醒來，不記得自己是怎麼到那裡的。
attributive: a strange + noun (room)
The teacher told the class not to accept rides from strange adults.
老師告訴全班同學不要搭乘陌生大人的便車。
Roya sat next to a strange woman on the bus who smiled at her kindly.
Roya 在公車上坐在一位陌生的女士旁邊，那位女士對她和藹地微笑。
- unfamiliar
direct synonym, slightly more formal and neutral in tone
- unknown
stronger — suggests no information at all about something
- new
broader meaning; does not carry the same feeling of discomfort
- familiar
the direct opposite — known from previous experience
- well-known
very familiar through repeated experience
文法句型
a strange place/person/face
be strange to someone
feel strange
用法筆記
Often used with the prepositions 'to' (be strange to someone) when the focus is on a person's lack of familiarity. When used before a noun ('a strange place'), it overlaps with sense 1, but the emphasis is on not knowing rather than on being unusual.
4. Relating to a place or culture that is not your own; coming from somewhere outsi
外國的；異國
來自或屬於另一個國家或地區的
Relating to a place or culture that is not your own; coming from somewhere outside your home country or region.
The market sold strange fruits that Isabela had never seen in her home country.
市集賣著 Isabela 在家鄉從未見過的外國水果。
attributive: strange + noun (fruits from another country)
Liang enjoyed hearing the strange language spoken by tourists at the hotel.
Liang 很享受聽那些旅客在旅館說的異國語言。
The strange customs of the village fascinated Roya, who was visiting from abroad.
那個村莊的奇特習俗讓遠道而來的 Roya 大開眼界。
The museum displayed strange musical instruments from ancient Egypt.
博物館展示了來自古埃及的外國樂器。
文法句型
strange land/country
strange customs/language
用法筆記
This sense is somewhat literary or old-fashioned in English. In modern everyday speech, 'foreign' or 'exotic' are more common. The word 'strange' in this sense usually carries a tone of mild surprise or wonder rather than negativity.