What is the difference between 特別 and 特殊?


特別 and 特殊

I think they both mean "special". But are they used in different contexts?




特別 tends to have a positive connotation and describe something is better than
others. For example, 特別なプレゼント, 特別な日, 特別な思い出, etc. 特別な人 is someone who is
special to someone, i.e., one's lover, family member, etc.

特殊 does not have a positive connotation, and it's often better translated as
"specialized (as opposed to general-purpose/generic)", "different" or even
"peculiar", "strange", etc. 特殊な人 is someone who is different from others in a
negative way (having a peculiar habit, etc). That said, 特殊 is preferred in
scientific contexts because 特別 tends to sound like a marketing phrase. For
example Einstein's "special theory of relativity" is 特殊相対性理論 in Japanese.

