1.
unspecified; unidentified; indeterminate
Not specifically identified or determined. Refers to people, things, or quantities that are not pinpointed or limited to particular individuals or items.
不特定多数の人が利用する施設だ。
It is a facility used by an unspecified large number of people.
犯人は不特定の人物を狙っていた。
The criminal was targeting unspecified individuals.
インターネット上では不特定多数に情報が公開されるため、個人情報の取り扱いに注意が必要だ。
Since information is made public to an unspecified large number of people on the internet, care must be taken when handling personal information.
USAGE:
A compound of 不 (not) + 特定 (specified, identified). Most commonly appears in the set phrase 不特定多数 (unspecified large number [of people]), which is extremely common in legal, administrative, and news contexts. Functions as a noun that modifies other nouns using の.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 不特定多数 (an unspecified large number of people — the most common usage)
- 不特定の人物 (an unidentified person)
- 不特定の相手 (an unspecified counterpart)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 特定: specified, identified — the opposite
- 不明: unknown, unclear — indicates information is not available, whereas 不特定 implies no attempt to specify