expression, noun
world of difference; poles apart; night and day
Idiomatic expression emphasizing an extreme difference, as vast as that between heaven and earth. Often used in comparisons.
彼の実力と私の実力は天と地の差だ。
There's a world of difference between his ability and mine.
都会と田舎の生活は天と地の差がある。
Life in the city and life in the countryside are poles apart.
Literally 'the difference between heaven and earth', a set phrase using the extreme contrast between the sky and the ground to express a vast gap.