Meaning
特别 means 'especially' or 'particularly' when used as an adverb, and 'special' or 'unusual' when used as an adjective. It emphasizes that something stands out from the ordinary or deserves extra attention. This is one of the most common words in everyday Mandarin for expressing emphasis or highlighting something distinctive.
Usage
As an adverb, 特别 typically comes before adjectives or verbs to intensify meaning (like 'very' or 'especially'). As an adjective, it describes nouns that are out of the ordinary. Native speakers use it constantly in casual conversation. It's slightly more emphatic than 很 (hěn) but less formal than 尤其 (yóu qí).
Examples
- 01今天天气特别好。.The weather is especially good today.
- 02这家餐厅很特别，菜单每天都不一样。, .This restaurant is very special; the menu is different every day.
Characters
Common collocations
- 特别是especially (when listing examples)
- 特别喜欢especially like
- 特别的日子a special day
- 没什么特别nothing special
Antonyms
Origin
特 originally meant a male animal (bull) and came to mean 'outstanding' or 'special.' 别 means 'to separate' or 'different.' Together, they create the sense of 'specially different' or 'particularly distinctive.'