1.
difference, gap
The amount by which things differ.
年齢の差は10歳だ。
The age difference is 10 years.
1点差で負けた。
We lost by one point.
貧富の差が広がっている。
The gap between rich and poor is widening.
2.
(suffix) degree of, extent of
Added to adjective stems to express degree.
この高さは何メートルですか。
How many meters is this height?
[Note: Suffix さ = degree of height]
海の深さに驚いた。
I was surprised by the depth of the ocean.
[Note: Suffix さ = degree of depth]
この問題の難しさは、実際にやってみないと分からない。見た目ほど簡単ではない。
You won't understand the difficulty of this problem until you actually try it. It's not as easy as it looks.
[Note: Suffix さ = degree of difficulty]
差 expresses difference or, as a suffix, degree.
AS 'DIFFERENCE':
- 年齢差 (age difference)
- 個人差 (individual differences)
- 時間差 (time difference)
- 価格差 (price difference)
- 貧富の差 (gap between rich and poor)
AS SUFFIX (〜さ):
- 高さ (height - from 高い)
- 広さ (width - from 広い)
- 美しさ (beauty - from 美しい)
- 難しさ (difficulty - from 難しい)
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 差がある (there is a difference)
- 差をつける (to make a difference)
- 差が縮まる (the gap narrows)