差 = distinction?

Recently I came across 差 and the meaning is supposed to be distinction. I do understand the vocab distinction. I just fail to understand the mnemonic around it. Seems like the way it is explained it doesn’t fit the meaning of distinction I learned.
Distinction is to be aware of the difference of two things, right?
I’m having trouble remembering that kanji, because I don’t understand that mnemonic. So could someone explain to me what distinction means in that context?

Thanks!

(So here is a copy of said mnemonic:
A sheep with no legs that goes down a slide without any knowledge of construction lacks the distinction necessary to get new legs. This sheep is missing its bottom half, so it often gets to places by using slides. However, the sheep doesn’t know anything about construction, so it’s pretty clueless how to make slides or even how they work. Lacking distinction, no one really cares about this sheep enough to get it that leg transplant it so desperately wants.)

2 Likes

According to dictionary.com, “distinction” can also mean “a distinguishing quality or characteristic”. For example “a distinguished lady” is a lady with distinction, or in this case a lady of upper class. A sheep that lacks distinction would mean an average sheep.

2 Likes

This happens occasionally with the mnemonics, where the definition they use in the mnemonic differs from the actual meaning in the kanji. I think this can be a big problem because it can create an incorrect understanding of the kanji’s meaning, especially when WaniKani only gives one meaning for that kanji.

3 Likes

My example: 営 (manage)

The mnemonics use “manage” as in “managing do something”, “be able to do”.
But the actual meaning is that of “to be in charge of something”.

Thank you!

1 Like

I’m just complaining at this point, but I don’t see why this kanji is defined as “distinction” rather than “difference.” The words I see it in most are like “time difference.”

I know I can add user synonyms, but I just think the original definition is weird in this case.

1 Like

There are a bunch of English meanings associated with it.

distinction, difference, variation, discrepancy, margin, balance

1 Like

To clarify, I don’t mean that the definition they chose is wrong. I just think that the one definition they chose to represent the kanji isn’t necessarily the one that makes the most sense given the vocab they teach. I think having both definitions would be the most useful.

Again, I’m just whining to whine. I realize user synonyms are a thing, and I know I’m being pointlessly picky here. I’m just salty when I get marked wrong for typing a perfectly valid, common definition of the kanji into the answer box.

That happens all the time. WK is notorious for only putting one meaning on things that have tons of meanings. I just click ignore and whine about it.

3 Likes

This topic was automatically closed 365 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.