Kanji 独 single, alone, spontaneously Related words· 11 特有 stresses that a quality belongs specifically to one thing or group, while 独特 highlights that the quality is unlike anything else.
ユニーク is a casual loanword for 'unique', whereas 独特 is more formal and can carry a nuance of 'peculiar' as well as 'distinctive'.
特異 emphasizes something unusual or exceptional, often with a scientific or formal tone, while 独特 simply marks a thing as distinctively its own.
独特 describes a quality as inherently peculiar to a thing itself, while 異色 emphasizes standing out from the norm of a group.
Show 7 more Show fewer 独特 describes a quality as unique or distinctive in a neutral or positive way, while 一風 often adds a hint of oddity or eccentricity.
独自 stresses originality or being one's own, while 独特 highlights a peculiar or characteristic quality that stands out.
独特 means distinctive or unique in general, while 一流 in the phrase 彼一流の specifically points to a person's own characteristic style.
独特 describes something unique or distinctive in a neutral-to-positive way, while 奇抜 stresses an unconventionality that can surprise or seem bizarre.
独特 describes something peculiar or one-of-a-kind in a more neutral, objective way, while 個性的 usually praises a person's or style's distinctive flair.
独特 describes a quality unique to a particular person or thing (独特の味 ), whereas 特殊 describes something categorically different from the general case.
独特 means 'unique, peculiar to' something, while 一味違う implies a slight but noticeable improvement or distinction compared to others.
Opposites 普通 means 'ordinary, common', the opposite of 独特 's sense of being one-of-a-kind.
平凡 describes something plain and unremarkable, contrasting with 独特 's implication of a distinctive, standout quality.
Written forms 独どく 特とく Usage 97%
Standard kanji spelling for 'unique, peculiar, characteristic'.
独どく 得とく Usage 3%
Rare variant used for the sense 'understood only by oneself'; not used for general uniqueness.
Etymology Compound of 独 (alone, single) and 特 (special, particular). The spelling 独得 uses 得 (gain, obtain) and is a rare variant for the sense of something understood or acquired alone.
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