‘奇迹’ (qí jì) literally combines ‘奇’ (qí), meaning ‘strange’, ‘unusual’, or ‘extraordinary’, and ‘迹’ (jì), meaning ‘trace’, ‘sign’, or ‘evidence’. Together, they form a noun meaning ‘miracle’ — an event so astonishing, rare, or inexplicable that it seems to defy natural laws or expectations. It often carries a sense of awe, wonder, or profound gratitude.

The word is commonly used in both secular and spiritual contexts: describing medical recoveries, athletic achievements against all odds, unexpected reunions, or natural phenomena that inspire deep emotion. Unlike the more formal or literary ‘神迹’ (shén jì, ‘divine miracle’), ‘奇迹’ is neutral and widely appropriate in everyday speech, news reports, literature, and personal expression. It frequently appears with modifiers like ‘创造’ (to create), ‘出现’ (to appear), or ‘发生’ (to happen), and often follows expressions of disbelief or hope such as ‘简直是个奇迹’ (It’s simply a miracle!).