差

See also: 着 and 羞

差	U+5DEE, 差 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

Taiwan and Hong Kong stroke order

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 8021₁, composition ⿱𦍌⿰丿工(HTJK) or ⿸⺶工(GV))

Stroke order

References

KangXi: 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

trad.		差
simp. ^#		差
alternative forms		荖𢀩𢀠𢀞

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

Characters in the same phonetic series (左) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	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) : 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 (cha¹, cha⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄔㄚ, ㄔㄚˋ
Cantonese
(Guangzhou, Jyutping): caa¹
(Taishan, Wiktionary): ca¹
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): chhâ
(Meixian, Guangdong): ca¹
Min Dong (BUC): chă
Min Nan (POJ): chha
Wu (Wiktionary): tsho (T1)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: chā
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄚ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: cha
  - Wade–Giles: chʻa¹
  - Yale: chā
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: cha
  - Palladius: ча (ča)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵⁵/
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: chà
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄚˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: chà
  - Wade–Giles: chʻa⁴
  - Yale: chà
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chah
  - Palladius: ча (ča)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵¹/

Note:

chā - literary (“to differ; mistake; (maths) difference; barely”);
chà - colloquial (“to differ; wrong; inferior; to be short of; to owe”).

Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: caa¹
  - Yale: chā
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsaa¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: ca¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaː⁵⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: ca¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰa³³/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhâ
  - Hakka Romanization System: ca´
  - Hagfa Pinyim: ca¹
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰa²⁴/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: ca¹
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰa⁴⁴/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: chă
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰa⁵⁵/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chha
  - Tâi-lô: tsha
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zhaf
  - IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰa⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰa³³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰa⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Taipei): /t͡sʰa⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰa⁴⁴/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: tsho (T1)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰo⁵³/

Middle Chinese: /t͡ʃʰˠiᴇ/, /t͡ʃʰˠɛ/, /t͡ʃʰˠɛi/

Rime
Character	差	差	差
Reading #	1/5	2/5	3/5
Initial (聲)	初 (19)	初 (19)	初 (19)
Final (韻)	支 (13)	佳 (31)	皆 (33)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open	Open
Division (等)	III	II	II
Fanqie	楚宜切	楚佳切	楚皆切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡ʃʰˠiᴇ/	/t͡ʃʰˠɛ/	/t͡ʃʰˠɛi/
Pan Wuyun	/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚiɛ/	/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæ/	/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæi/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡ʃʰiɛ/	/t͡ʃʰæi/	/t͡ʃʰɐi/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʈ͡ʂʰjiə̆/	/ʈ͡ʂʰaɨj/	/ʈ͡ʂʰəɨj/
Li Rong	/t͡ʃʰje/	/t͡ʃʰɛ/	/t͡ʃʰɛi/
Wang Li	/t͡ʃʰǐe/	/t͡ʃʰai/	/t͡ʃʰɐi/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʈ͡ʂʰie̯/	/ʈ͡ʂʰai/	/ʈ͡ʂʰăi/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chī	chāi	chāi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ci¹	caai¹	caai¹

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
difference; discrepancy
mistake; wrongdoing
(mathematics) difference
to be short of; to fall short of
to owe
rather; barely; nearly; almost
11th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "divergence" (𝌐)

Synonyms

(wrong):

Dialectal synonyms of 錯 (“wrong”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		過誤, 誤, 謬, 謬誤, 訛
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		錯, 不對, 錯誤
Mandarin	Beijing	錯, 左
	Taiwan	錯, 不對
	Jinan	錯, 差
	Xi'an	錯
	Ürümqi	錯
	Wuhan	錯, 左
	Chengdu	錯, 拐
	Guilin	錯
	Yangzhou	錯
	Nanjing	差
	Hefei	錯
	Malaysia	錯, 不對
	Singapore	錯, 不對
Cantonese	Guangzhou	錯, 唔啱
	Hong Kong	錯, 唔啱
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	錯
	Macau	錯
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	錯
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	唔啱
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	錯
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	錯
	Foshan	錯
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	錯
	Foshan (Shunde)	錯
	Foshan (Sanshui)	錯, 唔啱
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	錯
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	錯
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	錯
	Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)	錯
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	錯
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	錯
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	錯
	Taishan	錯
	Kaiping (Chikan)	錯
	Enping (Niujiang)	錯
	Heshan (Yayao)	錯
	Dongguan	錯
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	錯
	Yangjiang	錯
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	唔啱, 錯
	Singapore (Guangfu)	唔啱, 錯
Gan	Nanchang	錯
Gan	Lichuan	錯
Hakka	Meixian	差, 唔啱
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	錯
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	錯
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	錯
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	錯
	Conghua (Lütian)	錯
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	唔著
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	唔著
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	唔著
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	唔著
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	唔著
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	唔著
Jin	Taiyuan	錯, 不對, 差
Min Bei	Jian'ou	錯
Min Dong	Fuzhou	賺
Min Dong	Matsu	賺
Min Nan	Xiamen	賺, 毋著
	Quanzhou	賺, 毋著
	Shishi	賺
	Zhangzhou	賺, 毋著
	Zhao'an	毋著
	Taipei	毋著
	Kaohsiung	毋著
	Penang (Hokkien)	salah, 毋著, 賺
	Singapore (Hokkien)	salah, 毋著
	Manila (Hokkien)	毋著, 賺
	Chaozhou	賺
	Shantou	賺, 唔對, 唔著
	Jieyang	賺
	Singapore (Teochew)	salah, 唔著, 賺
	Wenchang	無著
	Haikou	錯
	Singapore (Hainanese)	無著
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	錯
Wu	Shanghai	錯
	Suzhou	錯
	Danyang	賺
	Ningbo	錯, 賺
	Wenzhou	賺
Xiang	Changsha	錯, 左
Xiang	Shuangfeng	造, 錯

(inferior):

edit

Synonyms of 差

不善 (bùshàn)
不好 (bùhǎo)
不妙 (bùmiào)
不腆 (bùtiǎn) (Classical Chinese, self-depreciatory)
了丁 (Min Nan)
低下 (dīxià)
低劣 (dīliè)
低路 (Min Nan)

劣 (liè) (literary, or in compounds)
垃圾 (lājī) (colloquial)
屎 (Cantonese)
拙劣 (zhuōliè)
欠佳 (qiànjiā)
水皮 (shuǐpí) (Cantonese)
潮 (cháo) (colloquial, of quality or technique)
破 (pò) (colloquial)

鄙劣 (bǐliè) (literary)
不怎麼樣／不怎么样 (bùzěnmeyàng)
不濟／不济 (bùjì)
差勁／差劲 (chàjìn) (colloquial)
差氣／差气 (Min Nan)
無良／无良 (wúliáng) (formal)
蹩腳／蹩脚 (biéjiǎo)

(difference): 差數／差数 (chāshù)

Compounds

Derived terms from 差

一丈差九尺 (yīzhàngchājiǔchǐ)
一字不差
一念之差 (yīniànzhīchā)
不差 (bùchā)
不差毫釐
不差累黍 (bùchālěishǔ)
偏差 (piānchā)
偏差者
光差
光行差
公差 (gōngchā)
分毫不差
反差 (fǎnchā)
少差
差不上下
差不多 (chàbuduō)
差事 (chāishi)
差人 (chāirén)
差分 (chāfēn)
差可 (chākě)
差失 (chāshī)
差忒
差次
差池 (chāchí)
差眼
差等 (cīděng)
差越
差距 (chājù)
差迭
毫釐之差
潮差 (cháochā)
相差 (xiāngchà)
秒差距 (miǎochājù)
等差 (děngchà)
色差 (sèchā)
落差 (luòchā)
踏差 (ta̍h-chha) (Min Nan)
逆差 (nìchā)
隔三差五 (gésānchàwǔ)

失之毫釐，差之千里
失之毫釐，差以千里
差之毫釐，失之千里
差以毫釐，失之千里 (chāyǐháolí, shīzhīqiānlǐ)
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)
三差五錯／三差五错
三差兩錯／三差两错
不差不錯／不差不错
不差什麼／不差什么
不差毫髮／不差毫发
個別差異／个别差异
偏差理論／偏差理论
偏差行為／偏差行为
兩性差異／两性差异
出差錯／出差错
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
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
官差吏差，來人不差／官差吏差，来人不差
差一點兒／差一点儿 (chàyīdiǎnr)
差三錯四／差三错四
差不離／差不离 (chàbùlí)
差之毫釐，繆以千里／差之毫釐，缪以千里
差以豪釐，謬以千里／差以豪釐，谬以千里
差價／差价 (chājià)
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
差強人意／差强人意 (chāqiángrényì)
差惡／差恶
差數／差数 (chāshù)
差爭／差争

差異／差异 (chāyì)
差異法／差异法
差聲兒／差声儿
差若豪釐，繆以千里／差若豪釐，缪以千里
差號／差号
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)
毫髮不差／毫发不差
海洋溫差發電／海洋温差发电
溫差／温差 (wēnchā)
爭差／争差
相差無幾／相差无几
等差級數／等差级数
絲毫不差／丝毫不差
萬別千差／万别千差
視差／视差 (shìchā)
言差語錯／言差语错
話差／话差
語意差別量表／语意差别量表
誤差／误差 (wùchā)
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)
陰差陽錯／阴差阳错 (yīnchāyángcuò)
陰錯陽差／阴错阳差
雙差／双差
順差／顺差 (shùnchā)

Pronunciation 2

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): chāi (chai¹)
(Zhuyin): ㄔㄞ
(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): цэ (ce, I)
Cantonese (Jyutping): caai¹
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): chhâi
Min Dong (BUC): chă̤
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): chhe / chhee / chhai
(Teochew, Peng'im): cê¹
Wu (Wiktionary): tsha (T1)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: chāi
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄞ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: chai
  - Wade–Giles: chʻai¹
  - Yale: chāi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chai
  - Palladius: чай (čaj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰaɪ̯⁵⁵/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: цэ (ce, I)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɛ²⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: caai¹
  - Yale: chāai
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsaai¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: cai¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaːi̯⁵⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhâi
  - Hakka Romanization System: cai´
  - Hagfa Pinyim: cai¹
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰai̯²⁴/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: chă̤
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɛ⁵⁵/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, General Taiwanese, Xiamen)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhe
  - Tâi-lô: tshe
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zhef
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰe³³/
  - IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung, Xiamen): /t͡sʰe⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhee
  - Tâi-lô: tshee
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰɛ⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhai
  - Tâi-lô: tshai
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zhay
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰai³³/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰai⁴⁴/

Note:

chhe/chhee - vernacular;
chhai - literary.

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: cê¹
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tshe
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰe³³/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: tsha (T1)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰa̱⁵³/

Middle Chinese: /t͡ʃʰˠa/

Rime
Character	差
Reading #	4/5
Initial (聲)	初 (19)
Final (韻)	麻 (98)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	II
Fanqie	初加切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡ʃʰˠa/
Pan Wuyun	/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚa/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡ʃʰa/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʈ͡ʂʰaɨ/
Li Rong	/t͡ʃʰa/
Wang Li	/t͡ʃʰa/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʈ͡ʂʰa/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chā
Expected Cantonese Reflex	caa¹

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

Derived terms from 差

丁差
交差 (jiāochāi)
信差 (xìnchāi)
公差 (gōngchāi)
兼差 (jiānchāi)
出公差
出大差
出差 (chūchāi)
到差
大差
夫差 (Fūchāi)
官差 (guānchāi)
差事 (chāishi)
差人 (chāirén)
差佬
差使 (chāishǐ)
差委
差婆
差官
差役 (chāiyì)
差批
差排
差法
差票

差置
差遣 (chāiqiǎn)
差除
得差
打差
承差
押差
搪差使
撤差
白差使
皁差
神差鬼使
科差
考差
苦差事
解差
面子上的差使
鬼使神差
出差費／出差费
出紅差／出红差
報差／报差
專差／专差
小差事兒／小差事儿

差撥／差拨
差旅費／差旅费 (chāilǚfèi)
差發／差发
差輪／差轮
差錢／差钱
帶俸差操／带俸差操
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
皇帝不差餓兵／皇帝不差饿兵
緊差緊做／紧差紧做
聽差／听差
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
點差／点差

Pronunciation 3

Mandarin
(Pinyin): cī (ci¹)
(Zhuyin): ㄘ
Cantonese (Jyutping): ci¹
Min Dong (BUC): chĭ
Min Nan (POJ): chhir / chhu / chhi / chha / chhe
Wu (Wiktionary): tshr (T1)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: cī
  - Zhuyin: ㄘ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: cih
  - Wade–Giles: tzʻŭ¹
  - Yale: tsz̄
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsy
  - Palladius: цы (cy)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰz̩⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: ci¹
  - Yale: chī
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsi¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: qi¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰiː⁵⁵/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: chĭ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰi⁵⁵/
Min Nan
- (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): /t͡ɕʰi⁴⁴/
- (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
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: tshr (T1)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰz̩⁵³/

Middle Chinese: /t͡ʃʰˠiᴇ/, /t͡ʃʰˠɛ/, /t͡ʃʰˠɛi/

Rime
Character	差	差	差
Reading #	1/5	2/5	3/5
Initial (聲)	初 (19)	初 (19)	初 (19)
Final (韻)	支 (13)	佳 (31)	皆 (33)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open	Open
Division (等)	III	II	II
Fanqie	楚宜切	楚佳切	楚皆切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡ʃʰˠiᴇ/	/t͡ʃʰˠɛ/	/t͡ʃʰˠɛi/
Pan Wuyun	/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚiɛ/	/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæ/	/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæi/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡ʃʰiɛ/	/t͡ʃʰæi/	/t͡ʃʰɐi/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʈ͡ʂʰjiə̆/	/ʈ͡ʂʰaɨj/	/ʈ͡ʂʰəɨj/
Li Rong	/t͡ʃʰje/	/t͡ʃʰɛ/	/t͡ʃʰɛi/
Wang Li	/t͡ʃʰǐe/	/t͡ʃʰai/	/t͡ʃʰɐi/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʈ͡ʂʰie̯/	/ʈ͡ʂʰai/	/ʈ͡ʂʰăi/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chī	chāi	chāi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ci¹	caai¹	caai¹

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

Derived terms from 差

差品
差序 (cīxù)
差池 (cīchí)
差等 (cīděng)

差肩
犬牙差互
參差／参差 (cēncī)
參差不齊／参差不齐 (cēncībùqí)

櫛比鱗差／栉比鳞差
玉參差／玉参差
齵差／𱌹差

Pronunciation 4

Mandarin
(Pinyin): cuō (cuo¹)
(Zhuyin): ㄘㄨㄛ
Cantonese (Jyutping): co¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: cuō
  - Zhuyin: ㄘㄨㄛ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: cuo
  - Wade–Giles: tsʻo¹
  - Yale: tswō
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsuo
  - Palladius: цо (co)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰwɔ⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: co¹
  - Yale: chō
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tso¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: co¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /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

^† Original form of 搓 (cuō, “to rub with one's hands; to scrub; to twist”).

Compounds

Derived terms from 差

景差

扳差頭／扳差头

Pronunciation 5

Mandarin
(Pinyin): chài (chai⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄔㄞˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): caai³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: chài
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄞˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: chài
  - Wade–Giles: chʻai⁴
  - Yale: chài
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chay
  - Palladius: чай (čaj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰaɪ̯⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: caai³
  - Yale: chaai
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsaai³
  - Guangdong Romanization: cai³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaːi̯³³/

Middle Chinese: /t͡ʃʰˠɛ^H/

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
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/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʈ͡ʂʰai^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chài
Expected Cantonese Reflex	caai³

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

^† Original form of 瘥 (chài, “to recover from an illness”).

Japanese

Kanji

差

(grade 4 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

Go-on: し (shi); しゃ (sha); せ (se)
Kan-on: し (shi); さ (sa, Jōyō); さい (sai)
Kun: さす (sasu, 差す, Jōyō); たがう (tagau, 差う); たがい (tagai)

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 t͡ʃʰˠiᴇ, t͡ʃʰˠɛ, t͡ʃʰˠɛi, t͡ʃʰˠa, t͡ʃʰˠɛ^H).

Pronunciation

On’yomi: Kan’on

(Tokyo) さ [sà] (Heiban – [0])[1]
IPA^(key): [sa̠]

Noun

差(さ) • (sa)

(generally) difference
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
Synonyms: 差異 (sai), 違い (chigai)
(arithmetic) difference
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.
Antonym: (sum) 和 (wa)

References

2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 差 (MC t͡ʃʰˠɛ, t͡ʃʰˠa, t͡ʃʰˠɛ^H).

Historical readings

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 t͡ʃʰˠɛ, “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 t͡ʃʰˠa, “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 t͡ʃʰˠɛ^H, “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^(key): [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

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

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 差 (MC t͡ʃʰˠiᴇ, “uneven”).

Historical readings
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^(key): [t͡ɕʰi]
Phonetic hangul: [치]

Hanja

差 (eumhun 어긋날 치 (eogeunnal chi))

(literary) Hanja form^? of 치 (“uneven; irregular; rough”).

Compounds

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

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}}.

[DJR-1] 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN