差(さ)

さ

noun, suffix

difference, gap, margin

1. difference, gap

The amount by which things differ.

年齢(ねんれい)の差(さ)は10歳(さい)だ。

The age difference is 10 years.

1点(てん)差(さ)で負(ま)けた。

We lost by one point.

貧富(ひんぷ)の差(さ)が広(ひろ)がっている。

The gap between rich and poor is widening.

差(さ) expresses difference or gap, and attaches to nouns as a suffix to form words like 個人差 (individual differences).

Compounds

年齢(ねんれい)差(さ) (age difference)
個人(こじん)差(さ) (individual differences)
時間(じかん)差(さ) (time difference)
価格(かかく)差(さ) (price difference)
貧富(ひんぷ)の差(さ) (gap between rich and poor)

Common patterns

差(さ)がある (there is a difference)
差(さ)をつける (to make a difference)
差(さ)が縮(ちぢ)まる (the gap narrows)

Related Words

Related: 違(ちが)い (difference, discrepancy)

Related: 引(ひ)き算(ざん) (subtraction)

Related: ずれ (gap, discrepancy, deviation, misalignment)

Related: 商(しょう) (quotient)

Compare: ばらつき (variation)

general

Added 2026.1.11 17:02 · Revised 2026.10.10 3:34

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