• 異常いじょう — abnormal, unusual
• 異ことなる — to differ
• 異文化いぶんか — different culture
• 異性いせい — opposite sex
• 異議いぎ — objection, protest
• 異例いれい — exceptional case
• 異国いこく — foreign country
• 異動いどう — personnel change

異 is composed of the character for “field” (田) and elements symbolizing a person wearing a mask or looking different — thus conveying “unusual” or “different.”

This kanji is often used in both technical and everyday contexts, such as medical conditions (異常) or international themes (異文化).

彼かれの 意見いけんは 私わたしとは 異ことなります。
His opinion differs from mine.

異常いじょうな 気象きしょうが 続つづいています。
Unusual weather conditions are continuing.

“いじょう” means “abnormal” and is commonly used in medical or technical contexts.
“ことなる” is the native kun-yomi and means “to be different” — frequently seen in formal writing or comparisons.