How to say "different" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 異質いしつna-adjective, no-adjectiveCovers 'different' in the sense of differing in quality or nature, feeling fundamentally unlike something else. Use it when emphasizing that two things are of a different kind or character rather than merely separate.
- 別々べつべつno-adjective, na-adjectiveCovers 'different' meaning separate or respective, as when people or things are divided into distinct groups or handled individually, such as going separate ways or paying separately.
- no-adjective, na-adjectiveCovers 'different' meaning divergent or not uniform within a group, as when opinions, sizes, or answers vary from person to person. It describes a collection that lacks consistency rather than two contrasting things.
- 別個べっこno-adjectiveCovers 'different' in the sense of discrete or distinct, treating items as separate individual units. It suits contexts where things are considered or handled as separate cases rather than together.
- 変わったかわったprenominal modifierCovers 'different' only in the sense of unusual, odd, or out of the ordinary, as in a strange idea or an eccentric person. For plain 'different' it is seldom the word you want; it really means 'unusual'.
Use 異質 for differences in quality or nature, 別々 and 別個 for things being separate or distinct, 「まちまち」 for a group lacking uniformity, and 「変わった」 for 'different' meaning odd or unusual.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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