How to say "difference" in Japanese

• 別べつJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounExpresses two things being separate or distinct rather than the amount by which they differ; for the noun 'difference' itself it is at best marginal, and comparisons of degree call for another word.
• 違いちがいJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe default word for a difference between two or more things, whether in meaning, appearance, or quality; it is what you reach for to ask what the difference between A and B is.
  私は１分ふん違ちがいで列車れっしゃに乗のり遅おくれた。↗

  I missed the train by a minute.
• 差さJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)A difference in amount or degree: the gap between numbers, ages, temperatures, or scores. This is the word for the difference in arithmetic, and it treats the difference as something measurable.
  彼かれの馬うまは３馬身ばしんの差さで勝かった。↗

  His horse won by three lengths.
• 相違そういJLPT N2approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA difference or discrepancy between two things that are compared or checked against each other, such as two accounts, statements, or descriptions that may or may not match.
  両者りょうしゃの間あいだには、あったとしても、相違そういはごくわずかである。↗

  There is little, if any, difference between the two.
• 差異さいJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounA disparity or gap: a difference in amount, degree, or content that shows up when things are compared, with the emphasis on the gap itself rather than on whether two accounts match.
  それらの間あいだには、ごくわずかな差異さいがあった。↗

  There was a minute difference between them.

Use 「違い」 for a difference in general, 差 for a measurable or numerical gap, 別 for things being separate or distinct, and 相違 or 差異 for discrepancies or disparities found when comparing statements, records, or figures.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 別べつdistinction
• 違いちがいdifference
• 差さdifference
• 相違そういdifference
• 差異さいdifference
• 差額さがくbalance
• 食い違いくいちがいdifference
• 不同ふどうdifference
• けじめdistinction
• 隔たりへだたりdistance
• 区別くべつdistinction
• 異いdifference (of opinion)
• 差金さきんdifference
• 階差かいさdifference
• 懸隔けんかくdifference
• 異同いどうdifference
• 等差とうさ(equal) difference
• 相違点そういてん(points of) difference
• 距離きょりdifference (e.g. in opinion)
• 幅はばgap
• 変わりかわりdifference
• ギャップdifference
• ずれdifference
• 落差らくさdifference
• 誤差ごさdiscrepancy
• 高下こうげdifference (rank, grade, quality, etc.)
• 凸凹でこぼこinequality
• 差分さぶんdifference