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Kotomora

違

difference, differ

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 500Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • イ

Kun'yomi

  • ちが.う
  • ちが.い
  • ちが.える
  • -ちが.える
  • たが.う
  • たが.える

Meaning

違 centers on things not matching: a difference or divergence between two or more items. The core idea is that something is not the same as another, so it differs.

Most common words using 違

23 of 229
  • 違うちがう
    N5

    to differ (from); to be different; to be distinct; to be unlike; to vary; to disagree (with)

  • 違いちがい
    N3

    difference; distinction; discrepancy

  • 間違いまちがい
    N3

    mistake; error; blunder

  • 間違うまちがう
    N3

    to be mistaken; to be incorrect; to be wrong

  • 間違えるまちがえる
    N4

    to make a mistake (in); to commit an error; to get wrong; to do incorrectly

  • 違反いはん
    N3

    violation; offense; offence; breach; transgression; infringement; contravention

  • 勘違いかんちがい
    N2

    misunderstanding; mistaken idea; wrong guess

  • 違法いほう
    N1

    illegal; illicit; unlawful

  • 違和感いわかん

    uncomfortable feeling; feeling out of place; sense of discomfort

  • 気違いきちがい
    N1

    madness; insanity; madman; lunatic; crazy person

  • 相違そうい
    N2

    difference; discrepancy; variation

  • 違憲いけん

    unconstitutionality

  • 場違いばちがい
    N1

    out-of-place; inappropriate; sticking out like a sore thumb

  • 人違いひとちがい
    N2

    mistaking one person for another; (case of) mistaken identity

  • 食い違いくいちがい
    N1

    difference; disagreement; conflict; clash; discrepancy; inconsistency

  • 見違えるみちがえる
    N1

    to mistake (for something or someone else); to be unable to recognize

  • 筋違いすじちがい

    cramp; sprain; crick; strain (muscle)

  • 行き違いいきちがい
    N1

    crossing without meeting (e.g. letters in the post, people on the road); going astray

  • 食い違うくいちがう
    N1

    to not match well (e.g. at the seams); to not mesh properly (of gears)

  • 互い違いたがいちがい
    N1

    alternate; alternation

  • 間違いないまちがいない

    certain; sure; no doubt

  • 違いないちがいない
    N3

    sure; no mistaking it; for certain; without doubt

  • 一味違うひとあじちがう

    to be somewhat different (from before, from others, etc.)

Explore all words using 違 →

Study

Etymology

違 combines the movement radical 辶 with 韋, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of going against or diverging. The original sense is probably moving in a different direction.

Meaning mnemonic

The movement radical 辶 suggests walking, and 韋 looks like a guard tower or a walled enclosure. Picture two paths diverging around a walled area: one goes left, the other right, showing a clear difference.

Reading mnemonic

For イ, imagine two paths that differ so much they look like the letter 'E' and its mirror image: 'E' -> イ, and the difference is easy to see.