# 差

| 差 | U+5DEE, &#24046; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5DEE |
| ← 巭 [U+5DED] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 巯 → [U+5DEF] |

## Translingual

| Japanese | 差 |
| Simplified | 差 |
| Traditional | 差 |

### Alternative forms

Note that the character in simplified Chinese has 9 strokes. Simplified from 差 (𦍌丿 → ⺶)

### Han character

差 (Kangxi radical 48, 工+7 in traditional Chinese, 工+6 in simplified Chinese, 10 strokes in traditional Chinese, 9 strokes in simplified Chinese, cangjie input 廿手一 (TQM), four-corner 8021$_1$, composition ⿱𦍌⿰丿工(HTJK) or ⿸⺶工(GV))

### Derived characters

* 傞 嗟 嵯 搓 槎 溠 瑳 磋 縒 艖 褨 蹉 醝 鎈 髊 䱹 鹺 瘥 嵳 蒫 齹 鮺 𪙉 𪚍

### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 326, character 2
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 8732
* Dae Jaweon: page 629, character 12
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 413, character 4
* Unihan data for U+5DEE

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 差 :
| Western Zhou | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Bronze inscriptions | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 左 | *ʔsaːlʔ, *ʔsaːls |
| 佐 | *ʔsaːls |
| 袏 | *ʔslaːls |
| 蹉 | *sʰlaːl |
| 瑳 | *sʰlaːl, *sʰlaːlʔ |
| 搓 | *sʰlaːl |
| 磋 | *sʰlaːl |
| 溠 | *sʰlaːl, *sraːl, *ʔsraːls |
| 傞 | *sʰlaːl, *slaːl |
| 醝 | *zlaːl |
| 瘥 | *zlaːl, *ʔsljal, *sʰreːls |
| 鹺 | *zlaːl |
| 嵯 | *zlaːl, *sʰral |
| 嵳 | *zlaːl |
| 蒫 | *zlaːl, *ʔsljal, *ʔslɯl |
| 艖 | *zlaːl, *sʰraːl |
| 齹 | *zlaːl, *sʰral, *zral |
| 縒 | *slaːlʔ, *sʰral, *sʰlaːɡ |
| 褨 | *slaːlʔ |
| 嗟 | *ʔsljal |
| 差 | *sʰraːl, *sʰraːls, *sʰreːl, *sʰreːl, *sʰreːls, *sʰral |
| 鎈 | *sʰraːl |
| 槎 | *zraːl, *zraːlʔ |
| 髊 | *zlals |
Ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 來 (“wheat”) + 𠂇 (“left hand”) – to hull wheat by rubbing grains inside hands. Original form of 搓 (OC *sʰlaːl, “to rub with hands; to scrub; to twist”).
工 or 口 was later added under 𠂇 to form 左 (OC *ʔsaːlʔ, *ʔsaːls, “left”), which is also this character's phonetic component.

### Pronunciation 1

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): chā, chà (cha$^1$, cha$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄔㄚ, ㄔㄚˋ
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): caa$^1$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): ca$^1$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): chhâ
    (Meixian, Guangdong): ca$^1$
* Eastern Min (BUC): chă
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): ca$^1$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): chha
    (Teochew, Peng'im): ca$^1$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^1$tsho; $^1$tsha
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: chā
*** Zhuyin: ㄔㄚ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cha
*** Wade–Giles: chʻa$^1$
*** Yale: chā
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: cha
*** Palladius: ча (ča)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵⁵/
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: chà
*** Zhuyin: ㄔㄚˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: chà
*** Wade–Giles: chʻa$^4$
*** Yale: chà
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chah
*** Palladius: ча (ča)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵¹/
* chā - literary (“to differ; mistake; (maths) difference; barely”);
* chà - colloquial (“to differ; wrong; inferior; to be short of; to owe”).
* Middle Chinese: tsrhae, tsrhea
Rime :
| Character | 差 | 差 |
| Reading # | 4/5 | 2/5 |
| Initial (聲) | 初 (19) | 初 (19) |
| Final (韻) | 麻 (98) | 佳 (31) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | II | II |
| Fanqie | 初加切 | 楚佳切 |
| Baxter | tsrhae | tsrhea |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡ʃʰˠa/ | /t͡ʃʰˠɛ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚa/ | /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡ʃʰa/ | /t͡ʃʰæi/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʈ͡ʂʰaɨ/ | /ʈ͡ʂʰaɨj/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡ʃʰa/ | /t͡ʃʰɛ/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡ʃʰa/ | /t͡ʃʰai/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʈ͡ʂʰa/ | /ʈ͡ʂʰai/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | chā | chāi |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | caa$^1$ | caai$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*tsʰraj/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰraːls/, /*sʰreːl/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 差 |
| Reading # | 1/5 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | chā |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tsrhæ › |
| Old Chinese | /*tsʰraj/ |
| English | distinction; to select |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 差 | 差 | 差 |
| Reading # | 2/6 | 3/6 | 4/6 |
| No. | 18030 | 18037 | 18038 |
| Phonetic component | 左 | 左 | 左 |
| Rime group | 歌 | 歌 | 歌 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Corresponding MC rime | | 差 | 釵 |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰraːls/ | /*sʰreːl/ | /*sʰreːl/ |
| Notes | | 金文上從來，本指以手揀麥子分等次， 左亦聲 | |

#### Definitions

差
* to differ from; to be different; dissimilar; incongruous
* wrong; incorrect; erroneous
* inferior; poor; substandard
    唱得好差 [Cantonese] ― coeng$^3$ dak$^1$ hou$^2$ caa$^1$ [Jyutping] ― sing poorly
* difference; discrepancy
* mistake; wrongdoing
* (mathematics) difference
* to be short of; to fall short of
** 1986, “跳舞街 [tiu3 mou5 gaai1]”, in 林敏驄 [lam4 man5 cung1] (lyrics), 反叛 [faan2 bun6], performed by 陳慧嫻 [can4 wai6 haan4]:
       caa$^1$ jat$^1$ fan$^1$ zung$^1$, tin$^1$ zau$^6$ haak$^1$ saai$^3$ [Jyutping]
       just one more minute, and the sky will have darkened
* to owe
* rather; barely; nearly; almost
* 11th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "divergence" (𝌐)

##### Synonyms

* (wrong):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 過誤, 誤, 謬, 謬誤, 訛 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 錯, 不對, 錯誤 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 錯, 左 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 錯, 不對 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 錯, 不對 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 錯, 不對 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 錯, 差 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 錯 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 錯 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 錯, 拐 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 錯, 左 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 錯 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 差 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 錯 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 錯, 唔啱 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 錯, 唔啱 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 唔啱 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 錯, 唔啱 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 錯 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 唔啱, 錯 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 唔啱, 錯 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 錯 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 錯 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 差, 唔啱 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 錯 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 錯 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 錯 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 錯 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 錯 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 唔著 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 唔著 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 唔著 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 唔著 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 唔著 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 唔著 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 錯, 不對, 差 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 錯 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 賺 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 賺 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 賺, 毋著 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 賺, 毋著 |
| Southern Min | Shishi | 賺 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 賺, 毋著 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 毋著 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 毋著 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 毋著 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | salah, 毋著, 賺 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | salah, 毋著 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 毋著, 賺 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 賺 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 賺, 唔對, 唔著 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 賺 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | salah, 唔著, 賺 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 無著 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 無著 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 錯 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 無著 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 錯, 唔啱 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 錯 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 錯 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 錯, 賺 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 賺 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 賺 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 錯, 左 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 造, 錯 |
* (to be short of):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 差 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 差 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 差 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 差, 爭 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 減 |
* (inferior):
* 不善 (bùshàn)
* 不好
* 不妙 (bùmiào)
* 不怎麼樣 / 不怎么样 (bùzěnmeyàng)
* 不濟 / 不济 (bùjì)
* 不腆 (bùtiǎn) (Classical Chinese, self-deprecatory)
* 了丁 (Min Nan)
* 低下 (dīxià)
* 低劣 (dīliè)
* 低路 (Min Nan)
* 劣 (literary, or in compounds)
* 垃圾 (lājī) (colloquial)
* 屎 (Cantonese)
* 差勁 / 差劲 (chàjìn) (colloquial)
* 差氣 / 差气 (Hokkien)
* 拙劣 (zhuōliè)
* 推扳 ($^1$the-pe) (Shanghainese)
* 梢跤 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
* 梢跤軟蹄 / 梢跤软蹄 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
* 梢蹬 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
* 欠佳 (qiànjiā)
* 水皮 (seoi$^2$ pei$^4$) (Cantonese)
* 潮 (cháo) (colloquial, of quality or technique)
* 無良 / 无良 (wúliáng) (formal)
* 破 (pò) (colloquial)
* 跤梢 (Xiamen Hokkien)
* 蹩腳 / 蹩脚 (biéjiǎo)
* 鄙劣 (bǐliè) (literary)
* (difference): 差數／差数 (chāshù)

#### Compounds

* 一丈差九尺 (yīzhàngchājiǔchǐ)
* 一字不差
* 一差二誤 / 一差二误 (yīchā'èrwù)
* 一差二錯 / 一差二错 (yīchā'èrcuò)
* 一差半錯 / 一差半错 (yīchābàncuò)
* 一念之差 (yīniànzhīchā)
* 三差五錯 / 三差五错
* 三差兩錯 / 三差两错
* 不差
* 不差不錯 / 不差不错
* 不差什麼 / 不差什么
* 不差毫釐
* 不差毫髮 / 不差毫发
* 不差累黍 (bùchālěishǔ)
* 個別差異 / 个别差异
* 偏差 (piānchā)
* 偏差理論 / 偏差理论
* 偏差者
* 偏差行為 / 偏差行为
* 光差
* 光行差
* 兩性差異 / 两性差异
* 公差
* 出差錯 / 出差错
* 分毫不差
* 千差萬別 / 千差万别 (qiānchā-wànbié)
* 千差萬差，來人不差 / 千差万差，来人不差
* 反差 (fǎnchā)
* 周年視差 / 周年视差
* 外合裡差 / 外合里差
* 天差地別 / 天差地别 (tiānchādìbié)
* 天差地遠 / 天差地远 (tiānchādìyuǎn)
* 失之毫釐，差之千里
* 失之毫釐，差以千里
* 官差吏差，來人不差 / 官差吏差，来人不差
* 少差
* 差一點兒 / 差一点儿
* 差三錯四 / 差三错四
* 差不上下
* 差不多 (chàbuduō)
* 差不離 / 差不离 (chàbùlí)
* 差之毫釐，失之千里
* 差之毫釐，繆以千里
* 差事
* 差人
* 差以毫釐，失之千里 (chāyǐháolí, shīzhīqiānlǐ)
* 差以豪釐，謬以千里
* 差價 / 差价 (chājià)
* 差分 (chāfēn)
* 差別 / 差别 (chābié)
* 差別待遇 / 差别待遇
* 差勁 / 差劲 (chàjìn)
* 差動滑車 / 差动滑车
* 差半車麥秸 / 差半车麦秸
* 差可 (chākě)
* 差失 (chāshī)
* 差強人意 / 差强人意
* 差忒
* 差惡 / 差恶
* 差數 / 差数 (chāshù)
* 差次
* 差池
* 差爭 / 差争
* 差異 / 差异 (chāyì)
* 差異法 / 差异法
* 差眼
* 差等 (cīděng)
* 差聲兒 / 差声儿
* 差若豪釐，繆以千里
* 差號 / 差号
* 差越
* 差距 (chājù)
* 差迭
* 差速齒輪 / 差速齿轮
* 差遲 / 差迟
* 差配兒 / 差配儿
* 差錯 / 差错 (chācuò)
* 差額 / 差额 (chā'é)
* 差額選舉 / 差额选举 (chā'é xuǎnjǔ)
* 差點兒 / 差点儿 (chàdiǎnr)
* 差點沒 / 差点没 (chàdiǎn méi)
* 平均時差 / 平均时差
* 時差 / 时差 (shíchā)
* 時間差攻擊 / 时间差攻击
* 東差西誤 / 东差西误
* 歲差 / 岁差 (suìchā)
* 毫釐之差
* 毫髮不差 / 毫发不差
* 海洋溫差發電 / 海洋温差发电
* 溫差 / 温差 (wēnchā)
* 潮差 (cháochā)
* 爭差 / 争差
* 相差 (xiāngchà)
* 相差無幾 / 相差无几
* 視差 / 视差 (shìchā)
* 萬別千差 / 万别千差
* 秒差距 (miǎochājù)
* 等差 (děngchà)
* 等差級數 / 等差级数
* 絲毫不差 / 丝毫不差
* 色差 (sèchā)
* 落差 (luòchā)
* 言差語錯 / 言差语错
* 話差 / 话差
* 誤差 / 误差 (wùchā)
* 語意差別量表 / 语意差别量表
* 貧富差距 / 贫富差距 (pínfù chājù)
* 貿易差額 / 贸易差额
* 貿易逆差 / 贸易逆差
* 貿易順差 / 贸易顺差 (màoyì shùnchā)
* 踏差 (ta̍h-chha) (Min Nan)
* 逆差 (nìchā)
* 陰差陽錯 / 阴差阳错 (yīnchāyángcuò)
* 陰錯陽差 / 阴错阳差
* 隔三差五 (gésānchàwǔ)
* 雙差 / 双差
* 順差 / 顺差 (shùnchā)

### Pronunciation 2

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): chāi (chai$^1$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄔㄞ
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): цэ (ce, I)
* Cantonese (Jyutping): caai$^1$
* Hakka (Sixian, PFS): chhâi
* Eastern Min (BUC): chă̤
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): ce$^1$ / cai$^1$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): chhe / chhee / chhai
    (Teochew, Peng'im): cê$^1$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^1$tsha
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: chāi
*** Zhuyin: ㄔㄞ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: chai
*** Wade–Giles: chʻai$^1$
*** Yale: chāi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chai
*** Palladius: чай (čaj)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʈ͡ʂʰaɪ̯⁵⁵/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: цэ (ce, I)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɛ²⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: caai$^1$
*** Yale: chāai
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsaai$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: cai$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰaːi̯⁵⁵/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhâi
*** Hakka Romanization System: cai$^ˊ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: cai$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰai̯²⁴/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: chă̤
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɛ⁵⁵/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: ce$^1$
*** Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: cha̤
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰe⁵³³/
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: cai$^1$
*** Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: chai
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai⁵³³/
* ce1 - vernacular;
* cai1 - literary.
* Middle Chinese: tsrheaj
Rime :
| Character | 差 |
| Reading # | 3/5 |
| Initial (聲) | 初 (19) |
| Final (韻) | 皆 (33) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | II |
| Fanqie | 楚皆切 |
| Baxter | tsrheaj |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡ʃʰˠɛi/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæi/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡ʃʰɐi/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʈ͡ʂʰəɨj/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡ʃʰɛi/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡ʃʰɐi/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʈ͡ʂʰăi/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | chāi |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | caai$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[tsʰ]raj/, /*[tsʰ](ˤ)raj/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰraːl/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 差 | 差 |
| Reading # | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | chāi | chāi |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tsrhɛ › | ‹ tsrhɛj › |
| Old Chinese | /*[tsʰ]raj/ | /*[tsʰ](ˁ)raj/ |
| English | distinction; to select | distinction; to select |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. |||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 差 |
| Reading # | 1/6 |
| No. | 18029 |
| Phonetic component | 左 |
| Rime group | 歌 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 |
| Corresponding MC rime | |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰraːl/ |

#### Definitions

差
* to dispatch; to assign; to send on an errand
* to select; to choose
* (historical) runner; courier; envoy; messenger
* (historical) corvée
* errand; task

#### Compounds

* 丁差
* 交差 (jiāochāi)
* 信差 (xìnchāi)
* 公差 (gōngchāi)
* 兼差 (jiānchāi)
* 出公差
* 出大差
* 出差 (chūchāi)
* 出差費 / 出差费
* 出紅差 / 出红差
* 到差
* 報差 / 报差
* 大差
* 夫差
* 官差 (guānchāi)
* 專差 / 专差
* 小差事兒 / 小差事儿
* 差事
* 差人
* 差使
* 差佬
* 差委
* 差婆
* 差官
* 差役 (chāiyì)
* 差批
* 差排
* 差撥 / 差拨
* 差旅費 / 差旅费 (chāilǚfèi)
* 差法
* 差發 / 差发
* 差票
* 差置
* 差輪 / 差轮
* 差遣 (chāiqiǎn)
* 差錢 / 差钱
* 差除
* 帶俸差操 / 带俸差操
* 得差
* 打差
* 承差
* 押差
* 搪差使
* 撤差 (chèchāi)
* 放富差貧 / 放富差贫
* 欽差 / 钦差 (qīnchāi)
* 欽差大臣 / 钦差大臣 (qīnchāidàchén)
* 當差 / 当差 (dāngchāi)
* 當差的 / 当差的
* 白差使
* 皁差 / 皂差
* 皇帝不差餓兵 / 皇帝不差饿兵
* 神差鬼使
* 科差
* 緊差緊做 / 紧差紧做
* 考差
* 聽差 / 听差 (tīngchāi)
* 苦差事
* 解差
* 調差 / 调差
* 貓兒頭差事 / 猫儿头差事
* 賣富差貧 / 卖富差贫
* 辦差 / 办差 (bànchāi)
* 郵差 / 邮差 (yóuchāi)
* 銷差 / 销差
* 開小差 / 开小差 (kāi xiǎochāi)
* 開差 / 开差
* 面子上的差使
* 鬼使神差
* 點差 / 点差

### Pronunciation 3

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): cī (ci$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄘ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): ci$^1$
* Eastern Min (BUC): chĭ
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): co$^1$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chhir / chhu / chhi / chha / chhe
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^1$tshy
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cī
*** Zhuyin: ㄘ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cih
*** Wade–Giles: tzʻŭ$^1$
*** Yale: tsz̄
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsy
*** Palladius: цы (cy)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰz̩⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: ci$^1$
*** Yale: chī
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsi$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: qi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰiː⁵⁵/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: chĭ
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰi⁵⁵/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: co$^1$
*** Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: cheo
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰo⁵³³/
** (Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: co$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɵ⁵³³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhir
*** Tâi-lô: tshir
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰɯ³³/
** (Hokkien: Taipei, Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhu
*** Tâi-lô: tshu
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zhw
*** IPA (Taipei, Xiamen): /t͡sʰu⁴⁴/
** (Hokkien: Kaohsiung, Zhangzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhi
*** Tâi-lô: tshi
*** Phofsit Daibuun: chy
*** IPA (Kaohsiung, Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰi⁴⁴/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chha
*** Tâi-lô: tsha
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zhaf
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰa³³/
** (Hokkien: Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhe
*** Tâi-lô: tshe
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zhef
*** IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰe⁴⁴/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^1$tshy
*** MiniDict: tshy$^平$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^1$tshr
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰz̩⁵³/
* Middle Chinese: tsrhje
Rime :
| Character | 差 |
| Reading # | 1/5 |
| Initial (聲) | 初 (19) |
| Final (韻) | 支 (13) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 楚宜切 |
| Baxter | tsrhje |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡ʃʰˠiᴇ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚiɛ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡ʃʰiɛ/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʈ͡ʂʰjiə̆/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡ʃʰje/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡ʃʰǐe/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʈ͡ʂʰie̯/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | chī |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | ci$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*tsʰraj/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰral/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 差 |
| Reading # | 4/5 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | cī |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tsrhje › |
| Old Chinese | /*tsʰraj/ |
| English | 參差 uneven |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 差 |
| Reading # | 6/6 |
| No. | 18042 |
| Phonetic component | 左 |
| Rime group | 歌 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 差 |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰral/ |
| Notes | 見孟子 |

#### Definitions

差
* uneven; irregular; rough
    參差／参差 ― cēncī ― uneven
* to distinguish; to grade; to classify
* grade; rank
* limit; boundary

#### Compounds

* 參差 / 参差 (cēncī)
* 參差不齊 / 参差不齐 (cēncībùqí)
* 差品
* 差序 (cīxù)
* 差池 (cīchí)
* 差等 (cīděng)
* 差肩
* 櫛比鱗差 / 栉比鳞差
* 犬牙差互
* 玉參差 / 玉参差
* 齵差 / 𱌹差

### Pronunciation 4

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): cuō (cuo$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄘㄨㄛ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): co$^1$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cuō
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄨㄛ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cuo
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻo$^1$
*** Yale: tswō
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsuo
*** Palladius: цо (co)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: co$^1$
*** Yale: chō
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tso$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: co$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɔː⁵⁵/
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[tsʰ]ˤaj/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 差 |
| Reading # | 5/5 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | cuō |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tsha › |
| Old Chinese | /*[tsʰ]ˁaj/ |
| English | rub, polish, file (v.) |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||

#### Definitions

差
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Original form of 搓 (cuō, “to rub with one's hands; to scrub; to twist”).

#### Compounds

* 扳差頭 / 扳差头
* 景差

### Pronunciation 5

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): chài (chai$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄔㄞˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): caai$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: chài
*** Zhuyin: ㄔㄞˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: chài
*** Wade–Giles: chʻai$^4$
*** Yale: chài
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chay
*** Palladius: чай (čaj)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʈ͡ʂʰaɪ̯⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: caai$^3$
*** Yale: chaai
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsaai$^3$
*** Guangdong Romanization: cai$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰaːi̯³³/
* Middle Chinese: tsrheaH
Rime :
| Character | 差 |
| Reading # | 5/5 |
| Initial (聲) | 初 (19) |
| Final (韻) | 佳 (31) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | II |
| Fanqie | 楚懈切 |
| Baxter | tsrheaH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡ʃʰˠɛ$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæ$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡ʃʰæi$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʈ͡ʂʰaɨj$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡ʃʰɛ$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡ʃʰai$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʈ͡ʂʰai$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | chài |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | caai$^3$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰreːls/
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 差 |
| Reading # | 5/6 |
| No. | 18039 |
| Phonetic component | 左 |
| Rime group | 歌 |
| Rime subdivision | 2 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 差 |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰreːls/ |
| Notes | 見方言後作瘥 |

#### Definitions

差
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Original form of 瘥 (chài, “to recover from an illness”).

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

#### Readings

From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhae); compare Mandarin 差 (chā):
* Go-on: しゃ (sha)
* Kan-on: さ (sa, Jōyō)
From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrheaj); compare Mandarin 差 (chà):
* Go-on: しゃ (sha)
* Kan-on: さ (sa, Jōyō)
From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhje); compare Mandarin 差 (cī):
* Go-on: し (shi)
* Kan-on: し (shi)
* Kan’yō-on: さ (sa, Jōyō)
From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhea); compare Mandarin 差 (chāi):
* Go-on: せ (se)
* Kan-on: さい (sai)
* Kan’yō-on: さ (sa, Jōyō)
From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrheaH); compare Mandarin 差 (chài):
* Go-on: せ (se)
* Kan-on: さい (sai)
* Kan’yō-on: さ (sa, Jōyō)
From native Japanese roots:
* Kun: さす (sasu, 差す, Jōyō)、あやまつ (ayamatsu, 差つ)、いえる (ieru, 差える)、たがう (tagau, 差う)、つかわす (tsukawasu, 差わす)、やや (yaya)

#### Compounds

* 差異
* 差違
* 差益
* 差額
* 差金
* 差遣
* 差損
* 差等
* 差動
* 差配人
* 差別
* 脇差

### Etymology

* Kanji in this term
* 差
* さ Grade: 4
* on'yomi
From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhje|tsrhea|tsrheaj|tsrhae|tsrheaH).

### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) さ [sà] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [sa̠]

### Noun

差(さ) • (sa)
* (generally) difference
    Synonyms: 差異 (sai), 違い (chigai)
    資(し)金(きん)力(りょく)で差(さ)を付(つ)ける
       shikin ryoku de sa o tsukeru
       to make a difference in the financial power
* (arithmetic) difference
    Antonym: (sum) 和 (wa)
    九(きゅう)十(じゅう)と七(なな)十(じゅう)八(はち)の差(さ)は十(じゅう)二(に)である。
       Kyūjū to nanajūhachi no sa wa jūni de aru.
       The difference of ninety and seventy-eight is twelve.

#### See also

* 被(ひ)減(げん)数(すう) (higensū); 減(げん)数(すう) (gensū)

### References

* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean
### Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhea|tsrhae|tsrheaH).
Recorded as Middle Korean 차 (cha)$^訓$ (Yale: cha) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.

#### “difference; to distinguish”

    From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhea, “to differ”).
    Recorded as Middle Korean 챙 (Yale: chay) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

#### “to select; to assign; to dispatch”

    From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhae, “to select”).
    Recorded as Middle Korean 창 (Yale: cha) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

#### “to recover from an illness”

    From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrheaH, “to recover from an illness”).
    Recorded as Middle Korean 챙〮 (Yale: cháy) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [t͡ɕʰa̠]
* Phonetic hangul: [차]

#### Hanja

Wikisource 差 (eumhun 다를 차 (dareul cha))
* hanja form of 차 (“difference; to distinguish”)
* hanja form of 차 (“to select; to assign; to dispatch”)
* hanja form of 차 (“to recover from an illness”)
    쾌차 (快差) ― kwaecha ― complete recovery from an illness

#### Compounds

* 개인차 (個人差, gaeincha)
* 격차 (隔差, gyeokcha)
* 경차 (經差, gyeongcha)
* 낙차 (落差, nakcha)
* 세대차 (世代差, sedaecha)
* 시차 (時差, sicha)
* 오차 (誤差, ocha)
* 차감 (差減, chagam)
* 차도 (差度, chado)
* 차등 (差等, chadeung)
* 차별 (差別, chabyeol)
* 차분 (差分, chabun)
* 차비 (差備, chabi)
* 차사 (差使, chasa)
* 차액 (差額, chaaek)
* 차이 (差異, chai)
* 차익 (差益, chaik)
* 차입 (差入, chaip)
* 차출 (差出, chachul)
* 쾌차 (快差, kwaecha)
* 편차 (偏差, pyeoncha)

### Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 差 (MC tsrhje, “uneven”).
* Recorded as Middle Korean 칑 (Yale: chuy) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
* Recorded as Middle Korean 치 (chi)$^訓$ (Yale: chi) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [t͡ɕʰi]
* Phonetic hangul: [치]

#### Hanja

差 (eumhun 어긋날 치 (eogeunnal chi))
* (literary) hanja form of 치 (“uneven; irregular; rough”)

#### Compounds

* 참치 (參差, chamchi)
* 참치부제 (參差不齊, chamchibuje)
* 치지 (差池, chiji)

### References

* 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

差: Hán Nôm readings: sai, sái, si, sươi, sau, sây, soa
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.