得意
tokui[to̞kɯ̟i]
In Japanese, the phrase "someone is good at something" is expressed using 得意 (tokui).
得意 is used to describe a person who has a natural talent or a high level of skill in a particular activity, or a particular activity that they feel confident and comfortable performing.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between 得意 and 上手. While 上手 focuses on an objective evaluation of someone's skill or technique, 得意 implies a personal strength or something that a person considers their forte or feels confident in.
How does it change in a sentence?
To state that someone is good at a specific thing, use the particle が with 得意 followed by the copula です (e.g., が得意です). The antonym of 得意 is 苦手, which is used to describe things a person is weak at or feels uncomfortable doing.
How do you pronounce it?
tokui
What mistakes should you avoid?
If you want to talk about your own strengths, use 得意 instead.
Did you know?
- The opposite of 得意, which is 苦手, is frequently used to describe people you find difficult to deal with or dislike, rather than just things you are bad at.
- While 得意 means being 'good at' something, the same word can also mean 'proud' or 'triumphant' when used as an adjective to describe someone's facial expression.
- The kanji for 得意 literally combines the characters for 'gain' or 'acquisition' and 'meaning' or 'intent', suggesting a mastery that has been internalized.
Examples in context
- 料理が得意ですI am good at cooking.
- 彼は料理が得意です。Kare wa ryouri ga tokui desu.He is good at cooking.
- 数学が得意な学生ですね。Suugaku ga tokui na gakusei desu ne.You are a student who is good at math.
- 妹はピアノが得意です。Imouto wa piano ga tokui desu.My younger sister is good at the piano.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a person's hobbies at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮さんは何が得意ですか？Ren-san wa nani ga tokui desu ka?Ren, what are you good at?
- 蓮 Ren僕は計算が得意だよ。Boku wa keisan ga tokui da yo.I am good at calculation.
- 美咲 Misakiそれはすごいですね！Sore wa sugoi desu ne!That is amazing!
- 蓮 Renありがとう、美咲さん。Arigatou, Misaki-san.Thank you, Misaki.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 得意, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
