JLPT N3Spoken and written

的てき-ic, -al; in terms of

的てき turns a noun into a な-adjective, like "-ic" or "-al": 経けい済ざい is the economy, and 経けい済ざい的てきな is "economic". With に it is "-ally" or "in terms of".

的な: -al

これは私わたしの個こ人じん的てきな意い見けんです。

This is my personal opinion.

的に: -ally

もう少すこし具ぐ体たい的てきに話はなしてくれる？

Could you be a little more specific?

的に: in terms of

今こん週しゅうは時じ間かん的てきに無む理りです。

I can't manage it this week, time-wise.

How to form it

Noun + 的てき

具ぐ体たい的てきだ, 具ぐ体たい的てきな説せつ明めい (a specific explanation), 具ぐ体たい的てきに話はなす (speak specifically).

Before it: A noun, mostly a two-kanji word: 基き本ほん, 個こ人じん, 経けい済ざい.
Where you'll meet it: News, textbooks, work. The commonest words are everyday talk too.

Words you'll meet

基き本ほん的てきbasic; with に, basically

土ど曜よう日びは基き本ほん的てきに休やすみです。

I basically have Saturdays off.

現げん実じつ的てきrealistic

彼かれの提てい案あんはとても現げん実じつ的てきだ。

His proposal is very realistic.

経けい済ざい的てきeconomic, financial

経けい済ざい的てきな理り由ゆうで留りゅう学がくをあきらめた。

I gave up on studying abroad for financial reasons.

積せっ極きょく的てきactive, keen

彼かの女じょは授じゅ業ぎょうで積せっ極きょく的てきに質しつ問もんする。

She is eager to ask questions in class.

一いっ般ぱん的てきgeneral, usual

日本にほんでは、家いえに入はいるとき靴くつを脱ぬぐのが一いっ般ぱん的てきだ。

In Japan it is usual to take your shoes off when you go into a house.

的てきに: in terms of

的てきに is usually "-ally". On a word like 時じ間かん (time), 金きん銭せん (money) or 体たい力りょく (stamina), it is "in terms of", like English "-wise".

この仕し事ごとは体たい力りょく的てきにきつい。

This job is tough physically.

個こ人じん的てきには賛さん成せいです。

Personally, I'm in favor.

個こ人じん的てきには: speaking for myself.

Two things to know

な before a noun, not の

A 的てき word starts from a noun, so の is tempting. It takes な.

Not said: これは経けい済ざい的てきの問もん題だいです。

(This is an economic problem.)

経けい済ざい的てきな問もん題だい.

Formal writing often drops the な: 経けい済ざい的てきな理り由ゆう becomes 経けい済ざい的てき理り由ゆう.

In casual talk it goes on almost anything

Friends stick 的てき on almost any word: 私わたし的てきには (as for me), 気き持もち的てきに (feeling-wise). It sounds slangy. In writing, or to someone above you, it is 私わたしは or 個こ人じん的てきには.

私わたし的てきには、こっちのほうが好すき。

Me, I like this one better.

Close neighbours

化かN3

国こく際さい的てき says what something is like: international. 国こく際さい化か is the change of becoming so.

この町まちも国こく際さい化かが進すすんでいる。

This town is becoming more international too.

上じょうN2

A stiffer "in terms of", and it takes の: 法ほう律りつ上じょう (legally), 健けん康こう上じょうの理り由ゆう (health reasons).

健けん康こう上じょうの理り由ゆうで、仕し事ごとを辞やめた。

I left my job for health reasons.

Check yourself

1"a realistic plan"

現げん実じつ的てき（　　）計けい画かく

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this say?

来らい週しゅうは時じ間かん的てきに難むずかしいです。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

比ひ較かく的てき (relatively) works as an adverb without に: 比ひ較かく的てき安やすい, "relatively cheap".

More sentences

新しん商しょう品ひんの売うり上あげは劇げき的てきに伸のびた。

Sales of the new product rose dramatically.

会かい社しゃは段だん階かい的てきに制せい度どを変へん更こうする予よ定ていだ。

The company plans to change the system in stages.

医い学がく的てきな観かん点てんから、追つい加かの検けん査さが必ひつ要ようです。

From a medical standpoint, additional tests are necessary.