差

4 readings · tap one to hear it

different; wrong; mistaken; to fall short; to lack; not up to standard; inferior; Taiwan pr. [cha1]

Sound it out + = · + = · + = · + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Ideographic compound (会意字)

Work 工 done by a sheep 羊; incompetence

Components 羊工

fall short of · Heisig RSH #535

wool + I-beam

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
差一点儿	chà yī diǎn r	erhua variant of 差一點\|差一点[cha4 yi1 dian3]
一字不差	yī zì bù chà	(idiom) word for word; verbatim; without a single mistake or omission
相差不多	xiāng chà bu duō	not much difference
出大差	chū dà chāi	(old) to be taken out to be executed
差不多	chà bu duō	almost; nearly; more or less; about the same; good enough; not bad
开小差	kāi xiǎo chāi	to be absent-minded; to desert; to abscond from the army; absent without leave (AWOL)
差一点	chà yī diǎn	see 差點\|差点[cha4 dian3]
差点儿	chà diǎn r	erhua variant of 差點\|差点[cha4 dian3]
天差地远	tiān chā dì yuǎn	poles apart (idiom); entirely different
地区差价	dì qū chā jià	local differences in price; regional price variation
美差事	měi chāi shì	a terrific job
海洋温差发电	hǎi yáng wēn chā fā diàn	ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC)
差得多	chà de duō	to fall well short (in terms of quality, quantity or degree)
差不离儿	chà bù lí r	erhua variant of 差不離\|差不离[cha4 bu4 li2]
天差地别	tiān chā dì bié	(idiom) poles apart; as different as can be
差分方程	chā fēn fāng chéng	difference equation (math.)
差强人意	chā qiáng rén yì	(idiom) just passable; barely satisfactory
差不多的	chà bu duō de	the great majority
不差	bù chā	to not lack
不差	bù chà	not bad; OK

These characters use 差 as their sound component — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
差 sound part	chà	difference, gap; almost, nearly; in error; an officer
搓	cuō	to rub or roll between the hands
磋	cuō	to polish, to buff; to examine, to deliberate
嗟	jiē	sigh, alas
瘥	chài	to recover from disease; an epidemic
嵯	cuó	high, towering; rugged, irregular
槎	chá	raft; time, occasion; to hew
鹾	cuó	salty; salt