独自|どくじdokuji[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. no-adjective, na-adjectiveoriginal; unique; distinctive; characteristic; peculiar
   どの民族みんぞくも独自どくじの神話しんわを持もっている。↗

   Every nation has its own myths.
2. no-adjective, na-adjectiveindependent; one's own; personal

• Synonym独特どくとくNeutralDistinctive and unlike anything else; fits flavors, mannerisms, styles of expression, design and more. 「独自」 also covers acting independently or on one's own.
• Synonym独創的どくそうてきWrittenWritten/formal prose. Highly original, as in 「独創的なアイデア」; leans toward creativity.
• Synonym個性的こせいてきNeutralHaving a strong personal style, as in 「個性的な服装」; leans toward a pronounced, distinctive character.
• SynonymオリジナルNeutralLoanword. Original or the original version, as in 「オリジナル商品」; leans toward original products and works.
• Synonym固有こゆうWrittenWritten/formal prose. Inherent or peculiar to something, as in 「日本固有の領土」; 「独自」 stresses differing from others and forming a system of one's own.
• Related斬新ざんしんWrittenWritten/formal prose. Novel and original, as in 「斬新なデザイン」; leans toward novelty.
• Related特有とくゆうWrittenWritten/formal prose. Peculiar to something, as in 「日本特有の文化」; stresses an attribute owned exclusively by that thing.
• Related奇抜きばつNeutralStrikingly outlandish, as in 「奇抜な発想」「奇抜な服装」; leans toward eye-catching oddity, while 「独自」 stresses differing from others.
• Related新奇しんきWrittenWritten/formal prose. Novel; leans toward freshness and unfamiliarity.
• Related目新しいめあたらしいNeutralNovel and rare, as in 「目新しい商品」; leans toward looking fresh at first sight.
• Related新鮮しんせんNeutralFresh or refreshing, as in 「新鮮な感覚」; leans toward a feeling of newness.
• Related新しいあたらしいNeutralSimply new; leans toward newness in time, while 「独自」 stresses differing from others.
• Related創造的そうぞうてきWrittenWritten/formal prose. Creative; modifies people, activities, thinking and achievements. 「独自」 stresses differing from others and forming a system of one's own.
• Related新式しんしきWrittenWritten/formal prose. New-style or new-type; leans toward form and style.
• Related型破りかたやぶりNeutralUnconventional, as in 「型破りな人」; leans toward defying convention.
• Related特異とくいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Peculiar or singular, as in 「特異な体質」; leans toward abnormality.
• Related特殊とくしゅNeutralSpecial, as in 「特殊な事情」; leans toward being unlike the ordinary.
• Related一風変わったいっぷうかわったNeutralA bit quirky or offbeat, as in 「一風変わった人」; leans toward pleasant oddity.
• Related特異的とくいてきWrittenWritten/formal prose. Specific or selective, mostly in medicine and biology, as in 「特異的反応」.
• Related革新的かくしんてきWrittenWritten/formal prose. Innovative and progressive; leans toward reform.
• Related前衛的ぜんえいてきWrittenWritten/formal prose. Avant-garde, as in 「前衛的な芸術」; leans toward artistic vanguard.
• Related特徴的とくちょうてきNeutralDistinctive, as in 「特徴的な声」; leans toward being easy to recognize.
• Antonym共通きょうつうNeutralCommon or shared; the opposite of the distinctive, one's-own 「独自」.
• Antonym一般いっぱんNeutralGeneral or ordinary; the opposite of the unique 「独自」.
• Antonym普遍ふへんWrittenWritten/formal prose. Universally applicable; the opposite of the peculiar-to sense of 「独自」.

Use 「独自」 for being different from others, peculiar to oneself, or done independently, as in 「独自の方法」「独自に調査する」. For distinctive flavor say 「独特」, for original say 「オリジナル」, for characteristic-of say 「特有」; the opposites are 「共通」 and 「一般」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. そのものだけに特有とくゆうで、他たと異ことなっているところ。独特どくとく。
2. 自分じぶん一人ひとりで行おこなうこと。特定とくていの組織そしきなどが単独たんどくで行おこなうこと。