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

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

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

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 / 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 (cha¹, cha⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄔㄚ, ㄔㄚˋ

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): caa¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): ca¹

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): chhâ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): ca¹

• Eastern Min (BUC): chă
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): ca¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chha

  (Teochew, Peng'im): ca¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tsho; ¹tsha

---

• 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–Hong Kong)
    • 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 Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhâ
    • Hakka Romanization System: ca^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: ca¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰa²⁴/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: ca¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰa⁴⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chă
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰa⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ca¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: cha
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰa⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ca¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰa⁵⁴⁴/
• Southern Min
  • (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/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: ca¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsha
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰa³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsho; ¹tsha
    • MiniDict: tsho^平; tsha^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tsho; ¹tsha
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰo⁵³/, /t͡sʰa⁵³/

---

• 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	caa1	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

1. to differ from; to be different; dissimilar; incongruous
2. wrong; incorrect; erroneous
3. inferior; poor; substandard

   唱得好差 [Cantonese]  ―  coeng³ dak¹ hou² caa¹ [Jyutping]  ―  sing poorly

4. difference; discrepancy
5. mistake; wrongdoing
6. (mathematics) difference
7. 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]:

     差一分鐘　天就黑晒 [Cantonese, trad.]
     差一分钟　天就黑晒 [Cantonese, simp.]

     caa¹ jat¹ fan¹ zung¹, tin¹ zau⁶ haak¹ saai³ [Jyutping]

     just one more minute, and the sky will have darkened

8. to owe
9. rather; barely; nearly; almost
10. 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
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	錯, 左
	Taiwan	錯, 不對
	Malaysia	錯, 不對
	Singapore	錯, 不對
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	錯, 差
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	錯
Lanyin Mandarin	Ürümqi	錯
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	錯, 拐
	Wuhan	錯, 左
	Guilin	錯
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	差
	Yangzhou	錯
	Hefei	錯
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, Xiangzhou)	錯
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; 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
	Lichuan	錯
Hakka	Meixian	差, 唔啱
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	錯
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	錯
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	錯
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	錯
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	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
Northern Min	Jian'ou	錯
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	賺
	Matsu	賺
Southern Min	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
	Leizhou	無著
	Wenchang	無著
	Haikou	錯
	Singapore (Hainanese)	無著
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	錯, 唔啱
Wu	Shanghai	錯
	Suzhou	錯
	Ningbo	錯, 賺
	Wenzhou	賺
	Jinhua	賺
Xiang	Changsha	錯, 左
	Shuangfeng	造, 錯

• (to be short of):

Dialectal synonyms of 差 (“to be short of; to fall short of”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		差
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	差
	Singapore	差
Cantonese	Hong Kong	差, 爭
Southern Min	Singapore (Hokkien)	減
Wu	Shanghai	推板, 差 literary reading
	Jinhua	推板

• (inferior):

edit

• 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 (Shanghainese)
• 梢跤 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
• 梢跤軟蹄 / 梢跤软蹄 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
• 梢蹬 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
• 欠佳 (qiànjiā)
• 水皮 (seoi² pei⁴) (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 (chai¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄔㄞ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): цэ (ce, I)

• Cantonese (Jyutping): caai¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): chhâi
• Eastern Min (BUC): chă̤
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): ce¹ / cai¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chhe / chhee / chhai

  (Teochew, Peng'im): cê¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tsha

---

• 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–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: caai¹
    • Yale: chāai
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsaai¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: cai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaːi̯⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhâi
    • Hakka Romanization System: cai^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: cai¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰai̯²⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chă̤
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɛ⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ce¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: cha̤
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰe⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ce¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰe⁵⁴⁴/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: cai¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: chai
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰai⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: cai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰai⁵⁴⁴/

Note:

• ce1 - vernacular;
• cai1 - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (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
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsha
    • MiniDict: tsha^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tsha
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰa⁵³/

---

• 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	caai1

• 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

1. to dispatch; to assign; to send on an errand
2. to select; to choose
3. (historical) runner; courier; envoy; messenger
4. (historical) corvée
5. 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 (ci¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄘ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ci¹
• Eastern Min (BUC): chĭ
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): co¹
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chhir / chhu / chhi / chha / chhe
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tshy

---

• 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–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ci¹
    • Yale: chī
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsi¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: qi¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰiː⁵⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chĭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰi⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: co¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: cheo
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰo⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: co¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰo⁵⁴⁴/
• 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: ¹tshy
    • MiniDict: tshy^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tshr
    • 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	ci1

• 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

1. uneven; irregular; rough

   參差／参差  ―  cēncī  ―  uneven

2. to distinguish; to grade; to classify
3. grade; rank
4. 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 (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): /t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • 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

1. (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 (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–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: caai³
    • Yale: chaai
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsaai³
    • Guangdong Romanization: cai³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /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	/t͡ʃʰˠɛH/
Pan Wuyun	/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚæH/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡ʃʰæiH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʈ͡ʂʰaɨjH/
Li Rong	/t͡ʃʰɛH/
Wang Li	/t͡ʃʰaiH/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʈ͡ʂʰaiH/
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

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