strange

Compared meaning: unusual or not normal (adjective).

比较义项：不寻常的，奇怪的（形容词）。

• strange 本词

  The most neutral and general word for something unusual; it does not specify why something is odd and fits almost any everyday context.

  最中性、最常用的词，用来表示某事物不寻常；它并不说明奇怪的原因，几乎适用于任何日常语境。

  It felt strange to walk into the empty classroom at night.

  半夜走进空荡荡的教室感觉很奇怪。

• exotic

  Describes something unusual and appealing because it comes from a distant, foreign place; often used for food, plants, or travel, with a positive, intriguing tone.

  形容某事物因来自遥远的异国而显得不寻常且吸引人；常用于食物、植物或旅行，带有正面、引人入胜的语气。

  The restaurant serves exotic dishes from around the world.

  这家餐厅供应来自世界各地的异国风味菜肴。

• eerie

  Combines strangeness with fear; used for an unsettling, almost ghostly atmosphere, especially silence, light, sounds, or empty places at night.

  把奇怪和恐惧结合在一起；用来形容令人不安、近乎鬼魅的氛围，尤其是夜间的寂静、光线、声音或空荡的地方。

  An eerie silence filled the empty house after midnight.

  午夜过后，一片诡异的寂静笼罩着这栋空房子。

• peculiar

  Marks something strange enough to be noticed, often slightly quirky or unexpected, without implying fear or a foreign origin; common for smells, habits, or behavior.

  指某事物怪到足以引人注意，往往带点古怪或出人意料，但不含恐惧或异国色彩；常用于气味、习惯或行为。

  There was a peculiar smell coming from the kitchen this morning.

  今天早上厨房飘来一股奇特的气味。

Strange, exotic, eerie and peculiar all mean unusual, with different tones. Strange is the most neutral and common. Exotic is unusual and appealing, from a distant, foreign place. Eerie is strange and frightening, mysterious. Peculiar is noticeably odd; peculiar to is not compared.

这几个词在“不寻常”这个意义上很接近，但语气和使用场合不同：strange最中性常用；exotic强调来自遥远异国、带来新奇感；eerie侧重神秘且令人害怕的气氛；peculiar强调让人一眼注意到的古怪之处。这里不比较peculiar表示“……所特有的”（peculiar to）的用法。

Compared meaning: not known or not familiar (adjective).

比较义项：陌生的；不了解的（形容词）。

• strange 本词

  Describes an odd, uneasy feeling about something, even a place or person once familiar; more emotional and stronger than simply lacking information, common in the phrase 'feel strange'.

  形容一种奇怪、不安的感觉，即便是曾经熟悉的地方或人也可能用它；比单纯的“不了解”语气更强、更带情绪色彩，常用于“feel strange”这一说法。

  Her own bedroom felt strange after being away at college for a year.

  在大学待了一年后，她自己的卧室都让她觉得陌生了。

• unfamiliar

  Neutral and factual: something has not been experienced, seen, or learned before; commonly used for places, tasks, or things new to a person, without extra emotional weight.

  语气中性客观：表示某事物之前没有经历、见过或学过；常用于对人来说陌生的地方、任务或事物，不带强烈情绪色彩。

  The interns found the unfamiliar software confusing during their first week.

  实习生在第一周对这个陌生的软件感到困惑。

• unknown

  Focuses on missing facts or identity rather than feelings; used for causes, origins, authors, or identities that have not been discovered or revealed.

  重点在于事实或身份的缺失，而非感受；常用于尚未被发现或揭示的原因、起源、作者或身份。

  The cause of the engine failure remains unknown to investigators.

  调查人员至今仍不清楚发动机故障的原因。

Strange, unfamiliar and unknown all mean not known, but differ in feeling. Strange describes an uneasy feeling, even about a familiar place. Unfamiliar is neutral: not experienced before, like a place or task. Unknown focuses on missing facts or identity. Strange meaning odd isn't compared.

这三个词都可表示“不熟悉、不了解”，但语气和用法不同：strange更强调一种奇怪、不安的主观感受，即使对象本来熟悉也会用它；unfamiliar是中性客观的描述，只表示没有接触过；unknown则侧重事实或身份尚未被知晓，而非感受。这里不比较strange表示“奇怪、不寻常”的更常见义项（如a strange noise中的“奇怪的”）。