特

音読おんよみ: トク

訓読くんよみ: none *

画数かくすう: 10 strokes

部首ぶしゅ: 牛(うし)

Meaning

Special, unique, particular. Used for things set apart from the usual — special qualities, services, or treatment.


  • 特別とくべつ — special
  • 特徴とくちょう — characteristic; feature
  • 特急とっきゅう — limited express (train)
  • 特価とっか — special price
  • 特集とくしゅう — feature article; special edition
  • 特許とっきょ — patent

Formed from the radical (left-side form: 牜(うしへん)) plus the sound element . The idea is “distinct among cattle” → “set apart” → special. You’ll see トク consistently in compounds like 特別 and 特徴.

今日きょう特別とくべつなイベントがあります。
There is a special event today.

この商品しょうひん特徴とくちょうは、かるさです。
The product’s distinctive feature is its light weight.

特急とっきゅう東京とうきょうまできます。
I’ll take the limited express to Tokyo.

🎧 The on‑yomi is トク and is used in nearly all common words (特別, 特徴, 特急). There is no commonly used kun‑yomi in modern Japanese.

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