Explore 専 in words about specialisation and giving attention to one purpose.

The idea

専 has 9 strokes and the common reading せん in compounds. Read 専攻（せんこう）, 専門家（せんもんか）, 専用（せんよう） and 専念（せんねん） as whole words; follow the linked stroke diagram.

Patterns to compare
WordReadingMeaning
専攻せんこうmajor
専門家せんもんかexpert
専用せんようexclusive use
専念せんねんdevotion

Examples

  • 私わたしの専攻せんこうは経済学けいざいがくです。My major is economics.
  • 専門家せんもんかに聞きいてください。Please ask an expert.
  • ここは住民じゅうみん専用せんようの駐車場ちゅうしゃじょうです。This is a parking space for residents only.
  • 彼女かのじょは研究けんきゅうに専念せんねんしています。She concentrates on research.
  • 専門学校せんもんがっこうで勉強べんきょうしています。I study at a vocational school.
  • 彼かれは専任せんにんの教師きょうしとして働はたらいています。He works as a full-time teacher.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

専攻 is a field of study, while 専門家 is a person with expertise. 専用 restricts use; 専念 describes concentrating your efforts, not an exclusive parking space.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 専攻 in hiragana.

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    せんこう

    専攻 is せんこう: it names a major or field of study, as in economics.

  2. Write the reading of 専門家 in hiragana.

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    せんもんか

    専門家 is せんもんか: 家 here forms a word for a person with expertise.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿用（せんよう）［専／特］.

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    専

    専 completes 専用（せんよう）, meaning reserved for a particular use or group.

Use it today

Write 専 following the diagram, then cover the table and recall the readings of 専攻 and 専門家. Make a sentence with 専用.