(とくい)

おとくい
noun
specialty; regular customer, valued customer
1. specialty, forte, strong point
Something one is good at or skilled in, with the polite prefix お.
料理(りょうり)がお得意(とくい)なんですね。
You're good at cooking, aren't you?
ピアノはお得意(とくい)ですか。
Are you good at piano?
得意(とくい)手品(てじな)()せてください。
Please show us your specialty magic trick.
2. regular customer, valued customer, patron
A customer who frequently does business with a shop or company.
得意(とくい)さまがいらっしゃいました。
A valued customer has arrived.
長年(ながねん)のお得意(とくい)さまに特別(とくべつ)割引(わりびき)提供(ていきょう)する。
We offer special discounts to long-time customers.
この(みせ)のお得意(とくい)さまになって十年(じゅうねん)になる。
I've been a regular customer of this shop for ten years.

得意(とくい) has two distinct meanings depending on context.

SENSE 1 (specialty):
Polite form of 得意(とくい) (strong point). Used when asking about or praising someone's skills.

SENSE 2 (customer):

Often appears as お得意(とくい)さま or お得意(とくい)さん.

  • 得意(とくい)さま: valued customer (formal/business)
  • 得意(とくい)さん: regular customer (casual)

RELATED TERMS:

  • 得意(とくい): specialty; pride (without お)
  • 常連(じょうれん): regular customer
  • 顧客(こきゃく): customer (formal)