Japanese word

区別

Pronunciation

Romajikubetsu

Meaning

  • noundifference

Example

この二つの色の区別がつきます。ko no futa tsu no iro no ku betsu ga tsu ki ma su

I can tell the difference between these two colors.

Illustration for 区別 (difference)

More examples

子どもには遊びと勉強の区別を教えます。ko do mo ni wa aso bi to ben kyō no ku betsu o oshi e ma su

I teach children the difference between play and study.

Core concept

It centers on recognizing how things differ so that they can be told apart or treated as separate.

Common phrases

  • 区別がつくku betsu ga tsu ku

    tell apart

  • 区別がつかないku betsu ga tsu ka na i

    cannot tell apart

  • 区別するku betsu su ru

    distinguish

Similar words

違いchigai: A point or quality that makes two things unlike each other.
見分けmiwake: The act or ability to tell similar things apart by seeing their differences.
識別shikibetsu: The act of identifying a person or thing by its features.

Definition in Japanese

物事の違いを見分けて分けること。mono goto no chiga i o mi wa ke te wa ke ru ko to

Word origin

As a Sino-Japanese compound, 区別 (kubetsu) joins 区 (ku, "division") and 別 (betsu, "separation"), forming the idea of separating things according to their differences.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, 区別がつく (kubetsu ga tsuku) means that two things can be told apart, making it useful for colors, sounds, and similar objects.

Opposites

Word lists with this word