異常
いじょう · ijou · JLPT N3 · na-adj
abnormality
🚨 異常 = different (異) + usual (常): not the usual, so abnormal
異 means different, as in 異なる (to differ). 常 means normal or usual, as in 日常 (everyday life). Something that differs from the usual is an abnormality. You will see it in phrases like 異常なし, which means all normal.
常 — 巾 (cloth) + 尚 (phonetic, 'esteem')
Originally written 裳, 常 was a phono-semantic compound: 巾 ('cloth') gave the meaning and 尚 supplied the sound, referring to a long lower garment or skirt. Over time the meaning shifted from 'everyday garment' to 'ordinary, regular, constant', while 裳 took over the original clothing sense.