殊ことに

こ

と

に

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

adverb

Used to single out something as notably different or extreme, often in a positive or negative sense. Can modify adjectives, verbs, or whole clauses.

今日きょうは殊ことに寒さむい。
It's especially cold today.
彼かれは殊ことに数すう学がくが得とく

意い

だ

。

He is particularly good at math.

2

adverb

additionally; moreover

archaic

Archaic use meaning 'in addition' or 'furthermore'. Not used in modern Japanese; encountered only in classical texts.

古こ典てんでは「殊ことに」が「さらに」の意い味みで使つかわれることがある。
In classical texts, 殊に can be used to mean 'additionally'.

Written forms

殊ことにUsage91%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
ことにUsage9%
Kana spelling is common and avoids potential confusion with other kanji readings.
異ことに
Rare alternative kanji spelling; not commonly used in modern writing.

Kanji

殊particularly, especially, exceptionally
異uncommon, different, queerness

Similar words

特とくに
特に is the most common and neutral word for 'especially'. 殊に is slightly more formal or literary, and can carry a nuance of 'unusually' or 'remarkably'.
とりわけ
とりわけ also means 'especially' or 'above all', but is more colloquial and often used to pick out one item from a group. 殊に can modify adjectives and states more broadly.

Etymology

Derived from the adverbial form of the classical adjective 異 (こと, 'different, special') + particle に. The kanji 殊 carries the meaning 'particularly, especially'.