异常

You can use it as an adjective or an adverb. If your phone is lagging, that is 异常. If the weather is 40 degrees in winter, that is 异常. You often see it paired with nouns like 情况 (situation) or 状态 (state). It is very flexible and works in both tech and life.

Use it when you notice a change that needs attention. In an office, use it to report a bug. With friends, use it if someone is suddenly very quiet. It is great for describing 'extreme' things too. For example, 异常兴奋 means being unusually or excessively excited. It adds a layer of intensity to whatever follows it.

Don't use it for simple 'different' things like a new haircut. That is just 不同. 异常 usually carries a sense of 'something might be wrong.' Also, avoid it in very casual slang-heavy chats where 奇怪 (strange) feels more natural. It can sound a bit clinical if you use it for every small oddity.

In Chinese culture, harmony and 'the middle way' are highly valued. Anything 异常 is seen as a disruption of that balance. Historically, it was used in official records to note omens or strange natural phenomena. Today, it is the standard term in the digital age for 'system error.' It has moved from ancient omens to modern app crashes.

You will often hear 非常 which means 'very,' but 异常 is stronger. There is also 异常现象 for 'abnormal phenomenon.' In tech, you will see 程序异常 for 'program error.' If you want to sound more poetic, you might use 寻常 to describe the ordinary things you miss.