1.
individual differences, personal variation
Differences or variations between individuals. Commonly used when noting that results, effects, or experiences may vary from person to person.
効果には個人差があります。
Results may vary between individuals.
薬の効き目には個人差が大きい。
The effectiveness of the medicine varies greatly between individuals.
成長のスピードには個人差があるので、他の子と比べなくてもいい。
The speed of growth varies between individuals, so there's no need to compare with other children.
A very common phrase in medical, health, and product contexts. The standard disclaimer 個人差があります ("individual results may vary") appears frequently in advertisements, medical explanations, and product descriptions.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 個人差がある (there are individual differences)
- 個人差が大きい (there is great individual variation)
- 個人差を考慮する (take individual differences into account)
The word is composed of 個人 (individual) + 差 (difference). Similar compound words include 年齢差 (age difference) and 格差 (disparity).