This is the 4665th most frequent Chinese word.
特意
Deliberately; intentionally; on purpose.
In this sentence, '特意' is used to express that the preparation of the gift involved intentional effort and was done with a particular purpose.
我特意准备了一份礼物给你。
I specifically prepared a gift for you.
Here, '特意' highlights that the action of waking up early was deliberate and had the goal of attending the meeting.
他特意早起去参加会议。
He woke up early specifically to attend the meeting.
In this context, '特意' indicates that the choice of the restaurant was intentional, aimed at making the birthday celebration meaningful.