桁違(けたちが)い

けたちがい
na-adjective, noun
on a completely different scale; orders of magnitude different
quantitydescriptive
1. on a completely different scale; orders of magnitude different
Describes something that differs enormously in scale, degree, or level — literally 'different digit/column,' meaning the number of digits is different. Used to emphasize how dramatically one thing surpasses another.
彼(かれ)の才能(さいのう)は桁違(けたちが)いだ。
His talent is on a completely different level.
都会(とかい)と田舎(いなか)では家賃(やちん)が桁違(けたちが)いに違(ちが)う。
Rent differs by orders of magnitude between the city and the countryside.
あの会社(かいしゃ)は桁違(けたちが)いの資金力(しきんりょく)で市場(しじょう)を支配(しはい)している。
That company dominates the market with overwhelmingly superior financial power.

Usage

桁違(けたちが)い can be used as a na-adjective (桁違(けたちが)いな) or as an adverb (桁違(けたちが)いに). It always implies a dramatic, not slight, difference. The literal meaning relates to the 桁(けた) (digit column) of a number being different — i.e., tens vs. thousands.

Common collocations

Similar words

段違(だんちが)い also means "on a different level" but implies a gap of degree rather than orders of magnitude. 比(くら)べものにならない means "incomparable" and expresses a similar idea.

Related Words

Compare: 段違(だんちが)い (a world apart)
general
Added 2026.3.8 18:09 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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