Abstract We investigate simulated and theoretically the optical properties of the metamaterial, composed of two bigger split ring resonators and one smaller split ring resonator in unit cell. We observe the magic phenomena that one mode B is inhibited from strong to weak then disappears while another mode A appears and becomes stronger and stronger as asymmetric degree increases. The results show the mode A originates from the destructive interference between the dipole mode and the quadrapole mode, and its strength is proportional to the cross coupling coefficient of near-field. The disappearance of the mode B is due to the competition between the mode B and the mode A, and the variation of strength is proportional to the frequency shift of the dark mode. That is, with asymmetric degree increasing, the mode B converts into the mode A. These phenomena are explained very well by the temporal coupled-mode theory. Our metamaterial provides a kind of new design for understanding the interaction between light and matter.