‘特刊’ (tè kān) literally combines ‘特’ (tè), meaning ‘special’ or ‘extraordinary’, and ‘刊’ (kān), meaning ‘publication’ or ‘periodical’. Together, they refer to a special issue of a newspaper, magazine, or journal — one that is published outside the regular schedule to highlight a particular event, theme, anniversary, or breaking news. Unlike regular issues, 特刊 is often thicker, more visually distinctive, and contains in-depth coverage or commemorative content.

This term is commonly used in journalism, publishing, and academic contexts. It appears in titles like ‘奥运特刊’ (Olympics Special Issue) or ‘校庆特刊’ (School Anniversary Special Issue). While ‘特刊’ is formal and print-oriented, it’s also used digitally for themed online editions. It’s not used for routine weekly issues or ordinary supplements — those would be called ‘增刊’ (zēng kān, ‘supplement’) or ‘专刊’ (zhuān kān, ‘thematic issue’), which differ in scope and intent.