差

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word 差. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word 差, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say 差 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word 差 you have here. The definition of the word 差 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of差, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: 着 and 羞
差 U+5DEE, 差
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5DEE
← 巭
 		CJK Unified Ideographs 巯 →

Translingual

Japanese 差
Simplified 差
Traditional 差

Alternative forms

Note that the character in simplified Chinese has 9 strokes. Simplified from 差 (𦍌丿 → ⺶)

Han character

Taiwan and Hong Kong stroke order

差 (Kangxi radical 48, 工+7 in traditional Chinese, 工+6 in simplified Chinese, 10 strokes in traditional Chinese, 9 strokes in simplified Chinese, cangjie input 廿手一 (TQM), four-corner 80211, composition ⿱𦍌⿰丿工(HTJK) or ⿸⺶工(GV))

Stroke order
10 strokes

Derived characters

References

  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 326, character 2
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 8732
  • Dae Jaweon: page 629, character 12
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 413, character 4
  • Unihan data for U+5DEE

Chinese

trad. 差
simp. # 差
alternative forms 荖
𢀩
𢀠
𢀞

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 差
Western Zhou Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions Small seal script Transcribed ancient scripts
Characters in the same phonetic series (左) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
左 *ʔsaːlʔ, *ʔsaːls
佐 *ʔsaːls
袏 *ʔslaːls
蹉 *sʰlaːl
瑳 *sʰlaːl, *sʰlaːlʔ
搓 *sʰlaːl
磋 *sʰlaːl
溠 *sʰlaːl, *sraːl, *ʔsraːls
傞 *sʰlaːl, *slaːl
醝 *zlaːl
瘥 *zlaːl, *ʔsljal, *sʰreːls
鹺 *zlaːl
嵯 *zlaːl, *sʰral
嵳 *zlaːl
蒫 *zlaːl, *ʔsljal, *ʔslɯl
艖 *zlaːl, *sʰraːl
齹 *zlaːl, *sʰral, *zral
縒 *slaːlʔ, *sʰral, *sʰlaːɡ
褨 *slaːlʔ
嗟 *ʔsljal
差 *sʰraːl, *sʰraːls, *sʰreːl, *sʰreːl, *sʰreːls, *sʰral
鎈 *sʰraːl
槎 *zraːl, *zraːlʔ
髊 *zlals

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 來 (“wheat”) + 𠂇 (“left hand”) – to hull wheat by rubbing grains inside hands. Original form of 搓 (OC *sʰlaːl, “to rub with hands; to scrub; to twist”).

工 or 口 was later added under 𠂇 to form 左 (OC *ʔsaːlʔ, *ʔsaːls, “left”), which is also this character's phonetic component.

Pronunciation 1

Note:
  • chā - literary (“to differ; mistake; (maths) difference; barely”);
  • chà - colloquial (“to differ; wrong; inferior; to be short of; to owe”).
Rime
Character 差 差 差
Reading # 1/5 2/5 3/5
Initial (聲) 初 (19) 初 (19) 初 (19)
Final (韻) 支 (13) 佳 (31) 皆 (33)
Tone (調) Level (Ø) Level (Ø) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open Open Open
Division (等) III II II
Fanqie 楚宜切 楚佳切 楚皆切
Baxter tsrhje tsrhea tsrheaj
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/t͡ʃʰˠiᴇ/ /t͡ʃʰˠɛ/ /t͡ʃʰˠɛi/
Pan
Wuyun 		/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚiɛ/ /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæ/ /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæi/
Shao
Rongfen 		/t͡ʃʰiɛ/ /t͡ʃʰæi/ /t͡ʃʰɐi/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/ʈ͡ʂʰjiə̆/ /ʈ͡ʂʰaɨj/ /ʈ͡ʂʰəɨj/
Li
Rong 		/t͡ʃʰje/ /t͡ʃʰɛ/ /t͡ʃʰɛi/
Wang
Li 		/t͡ʃʰǐe/ /t͡ʃʰai/ /t͡ʃʰɐi/
Bernard
Karlgren 		/ʈ͡ʂʰie̯/ /ʈ͡ʂʰai/ /ʈ͡ʂʰăi/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		chī chāi chāi
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		ci1 caai1 caai1
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 差
Reading # 1/5
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		chā
Middle
Chinese 		‹ tsrhæ ›
Old
Chinese 		/*tsʰraj/
English distinction; to select

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 差 差 差
Reading # 2/6 3/6 4/6
No. 18030 18037 18038
Phonetic
component 		左 左 左
Rime
group 		歌 歌 歌
Rime
subdivision 		1 2 2
Corresponding
MC rime 		差 釵
Old
Chinese 		/*sʰraːls/ /*sʰreːl/ /*sʰreːl/
Notes 金文上從來，本指以手揀麥子分等次，
左亦聲

Definitions

差

  1. to differ from; to be different; dissimilar; incongruous
  2. wrong; incorrect; erroneous
  3. inferior; poor; substandard
  4. difference; discrepancy
  5. mistake; wrongdoing
  6. (mathematics) difference
  7. to be short of; to fall short of
  8. to owe
  9. rather; barely; nearly; almost
  10. 11th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "divergence" (𝌐)
Synonyms
  • (wrong):
Dialectal synonyms of 錯 (“wrong”)
Variety Location Words
Classical Chinese 過誤, 誤, 謬, 謬誤, 訛
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 錯, 不對, 錯誤
Mandarin Beijing 錯, 左
Taiwan 錯, 不對
Jinan 錯, 差
Xi'an 錯
Ürümqi 錯
Wuhan 錯, 左
Chengdu 錯, 拐
Guilin 錯
Yangzhou 錯
Nanjing 差
Hefei 錯
Malaysia 錯, 不對
Singapore 錯, 不對
Cantonese Guangzhou 錯, 唔啱
Hong Kong 錯, 唔啱
Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou) 錯
Macau 錯
Guangzhou (Panyu) 錯
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) 唔啱
Guangzhou (Conghua) 錯
Guangzhou (Zengcheng) 錯
Foshan 錯
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) 錯
Foshan (Shunde) 錯
Foshan (Sanshui) 錯, 唔啱
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) 錯
Zhongshan (Shiqi) 錯
Zhuhai (Qianshan) 錯
Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka) 錯
Zhuhai (Doumen) 錯
Jiangmen (Baisha) 錯
Jiangmen (Xinhui) 錯
Taishan 錯
Kaiping (Chikan) 錯
Enping (Niujiang) 錯
Heshan (Yayao) 錯
Dongguan 錯
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) 錯
Yangjiang 錯
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) 唔啱, 錯
Singapore (Guangfu) 唔啱, 錯
Gan Nanchang 錯
Lichuan 錯
Hakka Meixian 差, 唔啱
Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua) 錯
Dongguan (Qingxi) 錯
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) 錯
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) 錯
Conghua (Lütian) 錯
Miaoli (N. Sixian) 唔著
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 唔著
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 唔著
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 唔著
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 唔著
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 唔著
Jin Taiyuan 錯, 不對, 差
Northern Min Jian'ou 錯
Eastern Min Fuzhou 賺
Matsu 賺
Southern Min Xiamen 賺, 毋著
Quanzhou 賺, 毋著
Shishi 賺
Zhangzhou 賺, 毋著
Zhao'an 毋著
Taipei 毋著
Kaohsiung 毋著
Penang (Hokkien) salah, 毋著, 賺
Singapore (Hokkien) salah, 毋著
Manila (Hokkien) 毋著, 賺
Chaozhou 賺
Shantou 賺, 唔對, 唔著
Jieyang 賺
Singapore (Teochew) salah, 唔著, 賺
Leizhou 無著
Wenchang 無著
Haikou 錯
Singapore (Hainanese) 無著
Zhongshan Min Shaxi (Longdu) 錯, 唔啱
Wu Shanghai 錯
Suzhou 錯
Ningbo 錯, 賺
Wenzhou 賺
Jinhua 賺
Xiang Changsha 錯, 左
Shuangfeng 造, 錯
  • (inferior):

Compounds

Pronunciation 2

Note:
  • chhe/chhee - vernacular;
  • chhai - literary.
Rime
Character 差
Reading # 4/5
Initial (聲) 初 (19)
Final (韻) 麻 (98)
Tone (調) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) II
Fanqie 初加切
Baxter tsrhae
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/t͡ʃʰˠa/
Pan
Wuyun 		/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚa/
Shao
Rongfen 		/t͡ʃʰa/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/ʈ͡ʂʰaɨ/
Li
Rong 		/t͡ʃʰa/
Wang
Li 		/t͡ʃʰa/
Bernard
Karlgren 		/ʈ͡ʂʰa/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		chā
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		caa1
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 差 差
Reading # 2/5 3/5
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		chāi chāi
Middle
Chinese 		‹ tsrhɛ › ‹ tsrhɛj ›
Old
Chinese 		/*raj/ /*(ˁ)raj/
English distinction; to select distinction; to select

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 差
Reading # 1/6
No. 18029
Phonetic
component 		左
Rime
group 		歌
Rime
subdivision 		1
Corresponding
MC rime
Old
Chinese 		/*sʰraːl/

Definitions

差

  1. to dispatch; to assign; to send on an errand
  2. to select; to choose
  3. (historical) runner; courier; envoy; messenger
  4. (historical) corvée
  5. errand; task

Compounds

Pronunciation 3

Rime
Character 差 差 差
Reading # 1/5 2/5 3/5
Initial (聲) 初 (19) 初 (19) 初 (19)
Final (韻) 支 (13) 佳 (31) 皆 (33)
Tone (調) Level (Ø) Level (Ø) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open Open Open
Division (等) III II II
Fanqie 楚宜切 楚佳切 楚皆切
Baxter tsrhje tsrhea tsrheaj
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/t͡ʃʰˠiᴇ/ /t͡ʃʰˠɛ/ /t͡ʃʰˠɛi/
Pan
Wuyun 		/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚiɛ/ /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæ/ /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæi/
Shao
Rongfen 		/t͡ʃʰiɛ/ /t͡ʃʰæi/ /t͡ʃʰɐi/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/ʈ͡ʂʰjiə̆/ /ʈ͡ʂʰaɨj/ /ʈ͡ʂʰəɨj/
Li
Rong 		/t͡ʃʰje/ /t͡ʃʰɛ/ /t͡ʃʰɛi/
Wang
Li 		/t͡ʃʰǐe/ /t͡ʃʰai/ /t͡ʃʰɐi/
Bernard
Karlgren 		/ʈ͡ʂʰie̯/ /ʈ͡ʂʰai/ /ʈ͡ʂʰăi/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		chī chāi chāi
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		ci1 caai1 caai1
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 差
Reading # 4/5
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		cī
Middle
Chinese 		‹ tsrhje ›
Old
Chinese 		/*tsʰraj/
English 參差 uneven

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 差
Reading # 6/6
No. 18042
Phonetic
component 		左
Rime
group 		歌
Rime
subdivision 		1
Corresponding
MC rime 		差
Old
Chinese 		/*sʰral/
Notes 見孟子

Definitions

差

  1. uneven; irregular; rough
    參差／参差  ―  cēncī  ―  uneven
  2. to distinguish; to grade; to classify
  3. grade; rank
  4. limit; boundary

Compounds

Pronunciation 4

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 差
Reading # 5/5
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		cuō
Middle
Chinese 		‹ tsha ›
Old
Chinese 		/*ˁaj/
English rub, polish, file (v.)

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Definitions

差

  1. † Original form of 搓 (cuō, “to rub with one's hands; to scrub; to twist”).

Compounds

Pronunciation 5

Rime
Character 差
Reading # 5/5
Initial (聲) 初 (19)
Final (韻) 佳 (31)
Tone (調) Departing (H)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) II
Fanqie 楚懈切
Baxter tsrheaH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/t͡ʃʰˠɛH/
Pan
Wuyun 		/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæH/
Shao
Rongfen 		/t͡ʃʰæiH/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/ʈ͡ʂʰaɨjH/
Li
Rong 		/t͡ʃʰɛH/
Wang
Li 		/t͡ʃʰaiH/
Bernard
Karlgren 		/ʈ͡ʂʰaiH/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		chài
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		caai3
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 差
Reading # 5/6
No. 18039
Phonetic
component 		左
Rime
group 		歌
Rime
subdivision 		2
Corresponding
MC rime 		差
Old
Chinese 		/*sʰreːls/
Notes 見方言後作瘥

Definitions

差

  1. † Original form of 瘥 (chài, “to recover from an illness”).

Japanese

Kanji

差

(grade 4 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

Compounds

Compounds

Etymology

Kanji in this term
差
さ
Grade: 4
on’yomi

From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhje|tsrhea|tsrheaj|tsrhae|tsrheaH).

Pronunciation

Noun

差(さ) • (sa) 

  1. (generally) difference
    Synonyms: 差異 (sai), 違い (chigai)
    資(し)金(きん)力(りょく)で差(さ)を付(つ)ける
    shikin ryoku de sa o tsukeru
    to make a difference in the financial power
  2. (arithmetic) difference
    Antonym: (sum) 和 (wa)
    九(きゅう)十(じゅう)と七(なな)十(じゅう)八(はち)の差(さ)は十(じゅう)二(に)である。
    Kyūjū to nanajūhachi no sa wa jūni de aru.
    The difference of ninety and seventy-eight is twelve.

See also

References

  1. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhea|tsrhae|tsrheaH).

Historical readings

Recorded as Middle Korean 차 (cha)訓 (Yale: cha) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.

“difference; to distinguish”
From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhea, “to differ”).
Recorded as Middle Korean 챙 (Yale: chay) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
“to select; to assign; to dispatch”
From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhae, “to select”).
Recorded as Middle Korean 창 (Yale: cha) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
“to recover from an illness”
From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrheaH, “to recover from an illness”).
Recorded as Middle Korean 챙〮 (Yale: cháy) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

Pronunciation

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

Wikisource

差 (eumhun 다를 차 (dareul cha))

  1. Hanja form? of 차 (“difference; to distinguish”).
  2. Hanja form? of 차 (“to select; to assign; to dispatch”).
  3. Hanja form? of 차 (“to recover from an illness”).
    쾌차 (快差) ― kwaecha ― complete recovery from an illness

Compounds

Compounds

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhje, “uneven”).

Historical readings

Pronunciation

Hanja

差 (eumhun 어긋날 치 (eogeunnal chi))

  1. (literary) Hanja form? of 치 (“uneven; irregular; rough”).

Compounds

Compounds

References

  • 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

差: Hán Nôm readings: sai, sái, si, sươi, sau, sây, soa

  1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia