1.
status, rank, standing
The relative position, level, or class of a person, organization, or thing within a hierarchy. Indicates social standing, prestige, or grade.
2.
standard, norm
A rule, standard, or established convention that serves as a benchmark.
3.
grammatical case
In linguistics, the grammatical relationship of a noun or pronoun to other words in a sentence (e.g., nominative, accusative).
Usage
Sense 1 (status/rank) is the most common in everyday use. The expression 格が違う means someone or something is on a completely different (usually higher) level. 格が上/下 indicates higher/lower standing.
Appears in many compounds:
- 格差: gap, disparity
- 格式: formality, status
- 格上: higher-ranked
- 格下: lower-ranked
- 格付け: rating, ranking
- 主格: nominative case
- 対格: accusative case