代表的な
日本の代表的な料理は寿司です。
A representative Japanese dish is sushi.
Typical or characteristic of a group or category; serving as a representative example.
この映画はフランスの代表的な作品の一つです。
This film is one of the representative works of French cinema.
代表的な日本の伝統芸能といえば、能や歌舞伎が挙げられます。
When it comes to representative traditional Japanese performing arts, Noh and Kabuki are often mentioned.
Used to describe something that embodies the qualities or characteristics of a broader category. Often follows a noun with の (e.g., 日本の代表的な).
Pro Tip
Use with の to link to a category
代表的な is almost always followed by の + noun (e.g., 日本の代表的な食べ物). Omitting の would sound unnatural in most cases.
Gold Rule
Avoid redundancy with 典型的な
While 典型的な ('typical') is a synonym, 代表的な carries a stronger connotation of being a 'representative example' for a group, often in a formal or cultural context.
Word Origin
From 代表 (daihyō, 'representative') + 的 (teki, adjectival suffix indicating 'of' or 'pertaining to'). The compound form 代表的な emerged in the late 19th century as a Sino-Japanese calque of Western concepts of representation.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in academic, cultural, and journalistic contexts to highlight something as emblematic of a larger group. Avoid overusing in casual conversation unless emphasizing a point.