CJK Unified Ideograph-7Ad2

竒 carries the meanings of 奇: unusual, strange, or unpaired.

Classical dictionaries record the sense “different” or “not paired,” plus remarkable, secret or unexpected, odd-numbered, single, and unlucky senses. Those senses come from 奇; the surrounding phrase decides which one is active.

Where did 竒 come from?

竒 is a documented written variant of 奇, not a new sign.

The earliest documentary trail I can verify for this exact form points to the Yupian, compiled in 543. The variant dictionary also records it in later rhyme and character dictionaries. The older Shuowen Jiezi entry belongs to 奇, whose base senses are “different” and “not paired.”

The form arose by graphic variation, not to name another thing: the same source explains that 大 changed shape when written as an upper component in clerical script. 竒 and 奇 are therefore variant and standard form, not unrelated lookalikes.

What does 竒 mean in a message?

Read 竒 as 奇 unless the surrounding text sets a narrower sense.

A lone 竒 usually preserves a source spelling or a calligraphic style. Let the surrounding words supply the tone; the glyph itself supplies the alternate form.

For ordinary modern writing, choose 奇. Keep 竒 when quoting a source, matching an inscription, or preserving an exact spelling.