特别
especially; particularly; special
tèbié
What does 特别 mean?
特别 (tèbié) plays two main roles. As an adverb (the most common HSK 3 use), it intensifies whatever follows — 'especially / particularly / really.' 特别好 means 'particularly good,' 特别冷 means 'really cold.' It's stronger than 很 (hěn, 'very') and slightly more emphatic than 非常 (fēicháng).
As an adjective, it means 'special / unusual' — 一个特别的礼物 ('a special gift'), 他很特别 ('he's unique / unusual'). A common pattern is 特别是 (tèbié shì, 'especially / above all'): 我喜欢水果，特别是苹果 ('I like fruit, especially apples'). Native speakers use 特别 constantly in spoken Chinese — it's warmer and more conversational than the more formal 尤其 (yóuqí). Don't confuse with 别
Character breakdown
special; particular
other; different
Memory hook: 特 'special' + 别 'other / set apart' = set apart as special — particularly, especially.
Example sentences
今天天气特别好。
Jīntiān tiānqì tèbié hǎo.
The weather is especially nice today.
spoken
我特别喜欢吃中国菜。
Wǒ tèbié xǐhuan chī Zhōngguó cài.
I particularly love Chinese food.
spoken
他送了我一个特别的礼物。
Tā sòng le wǒ yí ge tèbié de lǐwù.
He gave me a special gift.
neutral
我喜欢水果，特别是苹果。
Wǒ xǐhuan shuǐguǒ, tèbié shì píngguǒ.
I like fruit, especially apples.
neutral
这个地方没什么特别的。
Zhège dìfang méi shénme tèbié de.
There's nothing special about this place.
spoken
Common phrases with 特别
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
特别 appears in 3 podcast episodes at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
非常 means 'extremely / very' and works in any context, slightly more formal. 特别 has the extra meaning of 'specifically / set apart,' and it can also be an adjective ('special'). 非常 can only be an adverb.
尤其 means 'especially / above all,' more formal and often used in writing. 特别 covers the same meaning but is the everyday spoken choice.
格外 also means 'particularly / exceptionally,' but it's literary and emphasizes 'beyond the normal range.' 特别 is the everyday word.
Don't confuse 特别 with
别 alone means 'don't' (别去 = 'don't go') or 'other.' 特别 is 'especially / special.' Beginners sometimes drop the 特 by mistake and reverse the meaning.
特 by itself appears mainly in compounds (特点 'characteristic,' 特色 'distinctive feature'). As a freestanding adverb meaning 'especially,' you must say 特别, not just 特, in standard Mandarin.
FAQ
Related words from the same episodes
Acquire by listening
Hear 特别 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this word shows up again and again in real sentences. Pinyin, translation, and the episode where you heard it — every time. Free to start, no card.