変

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 変な人ですね。▶ —
   A strange person.
2. 味が変だ。▶ —
   The taste is off.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Hen (変) is the na-adjective for "strange / odd." The kanji 変 sits inside 変化 (henka, change), originally "deviating from normal." Na-adjective inflection — "hen na hito" (a strange person) directly modifies a noun unlike the i-adjective grammar covered in futsuu and heta. Multi-sense cluster: (1) people — hen na hito (strange person), henjin (eccentric); (2) things — hen na aji (off taste), hen na oto (odd sound); (3) abstract — henka (change), taihen (a big deal), kaeru vs kawaru (transitive vs intransitive change). Japan-specific cultural trap: hentai (変態) originally means "abnormal state" in everyday Japanese, but post-1990s anime / manga export embedded it in English as "Japanese animated pornography." Both senses still coexist in Japan, and foreign learners need to read context. For JLPT N5 the basic "strange" sense leads. Korean isanghada / byeon and Chinese qiguai / bian diverge. JLPT N5 hen integrates with na-adjective inflection.

Quick check

1. Direct attributive pattern of hen (na-adjective)?

   • "Hen na" plus noun (hen na hito) — na-adjective form
   • "Hen i" plus noun
   • "Hen" plus noun directly
   • "Hen ku" plus noun