专用

• Pinyin: zhuān yòng
• Hanzi breakdown: 专 = simplified from 專, depicting concentrated activity; 用 = pictograph of a fence/enclosure, meaning to employ

Meaning

Dedicated; exclusive use; specially designated for a particular purpose or person.

Indicates that something is reserved for a specific use, not shared or general-purpose. Common in contexts like dedicated lanes, specialized equipment, or exclusive facilities. Often appears in compound nouns like 专用道 (dedicated lane) or 专用设备 (specialized equipment).

Examples

1. 这条车道是公交车专用的，私家车不能进入，否则会被罚款。 This lane is for buses only — private cars cannot enter, or they will be fined.
2. 公司给每位高管配备了专用的笔记本电脑，严禁他人使用。 The company provides each executive with a dedicated laptop that others are strictly forbidden to use.
3. 这款软件是我们团队专用的项目管理工具，没有对外开放。 This software is a project management tool exclusively for our team and is not available externally.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, transportation, technology

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这是VIP专用通道。(This is the VIP-exclusive passage.)
• 我有一台专用的工作电脑。(I have a dedicated work computer.)

Don't Say

• 这是我专用的朋友。(Cannot use 专用 for people — use 专属 for exclusivity with relationships)

Origin & History

Compound of 专 (exclusive, specialized) and 用 (to use). 专 originally depicted a spindle concentrating thread, hence the meaning of concentration or exclusivity.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal