Translation guide
How to talk about what someone is especially good at, known for, or specializes in, in Japanese.
Describing something a person is particularly good at, often a skill or subject.
The most common and natural way to say someone's strong point or something they are good at. Used for skills, subjects, or activities.
Math is his best subject.
Cooking is my forte.
Polite prefix added to 得意, often used when referring to someone else's specialty respectfully.
Please teach me your specialty dish.
Literally 'box 18', meaning one's party trick, signature move, or act one is known for. Often used for performances, karaoke songs, or jokes.
That song is his signature piece.
Referring to someone's area of professional expertise or academic specialization.
Talking about a dish a restaurant is known for, or a local food/product specialty.
A famous local product or a restaurant's signature dish. Often used for regional specialties.
The specialty here is curry udon.
Means 'pride' and is often used in phrases like 自慢の料理 (a dish one is proud of), implying it's a specialty.
Loanword from English, used in restaurant contexts but less common than 名物.
What is today's specialty?
得意 (とくい) is used for personal strengths and things you are good at, like hobbies or skills. 専門 (せんもん) is for professional or academic fields of expertise. Saying 料理が専門 implies you are a professional chef, while 料理が得意 just means you are good at cooking.
The English word 'specialty' can be translated in many ways depending on context. Avoid directly translating 'specialty' as 専門 in all cases; for personal skills, use 得意.
What is your field of expertise?
大学では経済学を専攻しました。
I majored in economics at university.
Please tell me about the local specialties of this area.
This is the chef's specialty dish.