JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N3 grammar · Chapter 25

～的

Turn a noun into an adjective-like or adverb-like expression

You’ll be able to use 的 to describe something as having the character, style, or quality associated with a noun.

Illustration of the scene described by This place is very appealing.
Read it first

この場所ばしょはとても魅力みりょく的てきです。

kono basho wa totemo miryokuteki desu.

What do you think this sentence means?

This place is very appealing.

Why it means that

Transform nouns into adjectives with 的

Attach 的てき to a Sino-Japanese noun to turn it into a な-adjective (when followed by な) or an adverb (when followed by に), expressing a quality, character, or viewpoint related to that noun.

Examples

健康けんこう的てきな生活せいかつを送おくりたい。

kenkouteki na seikatsu o okuritai.

I want to live a healthy lifestyle.

基本きほん的てきに毎日まいにち自分じぶんで料理りょうりをする。

kihonteki ni mainichi jibun de ryouri o suru.

Basically, I cook for myself every day.

How it is built

Forming adjective and adverb phrases with 的

Add 的てき to nouns. Follow with な to modify a noun, に to modify a verb or adjective, or だ at the end of a predicate.

noun+的+ (な +noun／ に +verb)
Example

日本にほん的てきな美うつくしい庭園ていえんを訪おとずれて、とても感動かんどうした。

nihonteki na utsukushii teien o otozurete, totemo kandou shita.

I visited a beautiful Japanese-style garden and was deeply moved.

Compare

～的な vs ～的に

～的 works like a な-adjective. Use ～的な before a noun, and ～的に before a verb or adjective.

  • ～的な, before a noun

    具体ぐたい的てきな説明せつめいをしてください。

    gutaiteki na setsumei o shite kudasai.

    Please give a concrete explanation.

    的な + noun (説明).

  • ～的に, before a verb

    具体ぐたい的てきに説明せつめいしてください。

    gutaiteki ni setsumei shite kudasai.

    Please explain it concretely.

    的に + verb (説明する).

Examples

この現象げんしょうは、科学かがく的てきに説明せつめいすることができる。

kono genshou wa, kagakuteki ni setsumei suru koto ga dekiru.

This phenomenon can be explained scientifically.

来週らいしゅうの旅行りょこうは、経済けいざい的てきな理由りゆうで行いけなくなった。

raishuu no ryokou wa, keizaiteki na riyuu de ikenaku natta.

I can no longer go on next week’s trip for financial reasons.

部長ぶちょうの話はなしは一般いっぱん的てきなことばかりで、あまり参考さんこうにならなかった。

buchou no hanashi wa ippanteki na koto bakari de, amari sankou ni naranakatta.

The manager’s talk was nothing but generalities, so it wasn’t very useful.

7 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.