特殊 and 特别

[xh207hi]

Could someone please explain what the differences between these two words are?  I'm struggling to workout when to use 特殊 over 特别。

 

thanks!

[陳德聰]

http://www.hwjyw.com/jxyd/cybx/200902/t20090206_26650.shtml

 

Paraphrasal of the above link (excluding 4 because I don't think that's a very good example):

1. 特别 has the meaning of especially, particularly, or for the special purpose of, whereas 特殊 does not.

e.g. 他特别喜欢做手工

You can change the 特别 in the above sentence to 尤其 (especially) and the meaning doesn't change.

e.g. 放学以后，老师特别把小华留下来谈课外阅读的问题

You can change the 特别 in the above sentence to 特地 (specially) and the meaning doesn't change.

2. 特别 can modify adjectives, whereas 特殊 can't. E.g. 他的眼睛特别大

 

3. When 特殊 modifies verbs, it expresses a somewhat smaller scope as in 特殊保护 (special protection) or 特殊照顾 (special consideration) vs. 特别, which when modifying verbs expresses a relatively larger degree as in 特别喜欢，特别担心

[Demonic_Duck]

You can also use “特殊” in the sense of “你很特殊” ("you're so special"), along with the same connotations that phrase would carry in English, i.e. "you're a bit weird".

[May J Rackham]

特殊 is used as adjective, meaning special and 特别is used as adjective and adverb ,meaning special and specially.

 

e.g.: 这支手表很特别。   In this sentence, you need an adjective so you also can say 这支手表很特殊。     

e..g.:这支手表特别 好看 。   In this sentence, you need an adverb; therefore, you can not say 这支手表特殊 好看。  

 

I hope this will help you to tell the difference in 特殊 and 特别。A a Chinese for many years, I always try to simplified Chinese to help my students.

[flowertea]

We can use either one when both of them mean special as adj. (like the followings) 

*adj. + 的 + noun.

今天是2013年最后一天，是一个很特别的日子。/是一个很特殊的日子。(a special day)

他对她有一种特别的感觉。/特殊的感觉。(a kind of special feeling)

*subject + adv. (as a connecter)+ adj.

他很特别/特殊。(He is special.)  他太特殊/特别了。(He is too special.)

 

The differences

1.about adj. to modify a noun.

We can only use 特殊 when we say special conditions, situations, arrangements, environment and people , and  "的" is normally dropped.

Eg :

特殊条件special conditions，特殊场合special occasions，特殊任务special tasks，特殊安排special arrangements， 特殊情况special cases, 特殊人物special people, 特殊行业 special field (about work), 特殊使命 special mission

[we don't say 特别... to modify a noun for the words above.]

 

2. We use 特别（地） as adv, which means especially, in particular. We usually don’t use特殊as adv.

* 特别 + verb.     他特别(地)喜欢黑咖啡。He likes black coffee in particular.

                           她喜欢吃水果,特别是苹果. She likes eating fruits, especially apples.

* 特别 + adj.       今天天气特别(地)好。The wheather is especially good today.

 

[xh207hi]

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation! I'm pretty much aware of the difference now!