意外

いがい

unexpected, surprising

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"意外" primarily means "unexpected" or "accident." It can describe surprising events or outcomes that differ from what was anticipated. It also specifically refers to accidents or mishaps, often involving injury or damage.

Common Collocations

  • 意外事故 (yìwài shìgù): accident, often used in news or reports.
  • 意外发现 (yìwài fāxiàn): unexpected discovery.
  • 意外 (yìwài jīngxǐ): pleasant surprise.

Usage Notes

When using "意外" to describe events, it often carries a neutral or slightly negative tone, especially when referring to accidents. However, it can also express positive surprise depending on context. It frequently appears before nouns to modify them, but can also be used as an adjective.

Common Confusion

Don't confuse "意外" with "" (wish, desire) or "意图" (intention). "意外" focuses on the unexpected nature of an event rather than a person's thoughts or plans.

Example Sentences

The results of this exam were unexpected for me.

He had an accident on the road and got slightly injured.

Surprisingly, he actually finished the task ahead of schedule.