特 tè special
special; especially; particular; really
How to remember 特: 牜 cow + 寺 temple = special. The photographer waits all morning until a cow strolls past the old temple gate, the one special shot of her whole trip.
Component breakdown
特 = 牜 cow + 寺 temple
- 牜 cow
- 寺 temple
The photographer waits all morning until a cow strolls past the old temple gate, the one special shot of her whole trip.
How it is used
- Means "special/particular," and colloquially as an adverb "especially/really": 特别 (tèbié) special/especially, 特好吃 (tè hǎochī) really tasty (北方 spoken).
- 特点 (tèdiǎn) / 特色 (tèsè) = characteristic/distinctive feature: 中国特色 (Zhōngguó tèsè) Chinese characteristics; 特产 (tèchǎn) = local specialty product.
- 特殊 (tèshū) = special/exceptional (a special case), 独特 (dútè) = unique. 特别 doubles as an intensifier: 特别喜欢 (tèbié xǐhuan) especially like.
Words with 特
- 特别tèbiéspecialHSK 3
- 特点tèdiǎna characteristicHSK 4
- 特产tèchǎnspecial local productHSK 5
- 特征tèzhēngcharacteristicHSK 5
- 特有tèyǒuspecific (to)HSK 5
- 特殊tèshūspecialHSK 5
- 特色tèsèa characteristicHSK 5
- 独特dútèuniqueHSK 5
- 模特儿mótèrmodel (loanword)HSK 6
- 特地tèdìspeciallyHSK 6
- 特定tèdìngspecialHSK 6
- 特性tèxìngpropertyHSK 6
- 特意tèyìspeciallyHSK 6
- 特长tèchángpersonal strengthHSK 6
- 奇特qítèpeculiarHSK 7
- 特例tèlìspecial caseHSK 7
- 特此tècǐherebyHSK 7
- 特质tèzhìcharacteristicHSK 7
- 特邀tèyāospecial invitationHSK 8
- 特制tèzhìspecially madeHSK 9
- 特权tèquánprerogativeHSK 9
Example sentences
- 他写的字很有特点。 Tā xiě de zì hěn yǒu tèdiǎn.The Chinese characters that he writes are distinctive.
- 这枚钻戒的形状很特别。 Zhè méi zuànjiè de xíngzhuàng hěn tèbié.The shape of this diamond is very unique.