Meaning
The kanji 違 expresses ideas of difference, discrepancy, violation, and being mistaken or wrong. Essentially, it describes something that deviates from a norm, a correct path, or an agreement. It is a fundamental character used to show a lack of sameness or adherence, illustrating a departure from an expected state or action.
違 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, keisei moji), meaning it combines a semantic component with a phonetic one. Its left-hand radical, 辶, denotes "walking" or "movement." This radical often hints at progress, direction, or a path. The right-hand component is 韋. Historically, 韋 depicted tanned leather or something wrapped around, suggesting a barrier, an encirclement, or something that is not straightforward. While 韋 primarily contributes the sound "i" to the kanji, it also hints at the meaning.
Picture a path that isn't straight, or a movement that goes astray due to an obstruction or a deviation from the intended course. Therefore, the combination visually suggests "to walk astray," "to deviate," or "to be different from what is expected."
This visual and semantic connection offers a strong memory aid. Imagine walking (辶) along a path when you suddenly encounter a barrier or something that surrounds you, making the path unclear (韋). Consequently, you end up in a different place or make a mistake in your direction. This metaphor underpins the kanji's core meanings of difference, error, and transgression, emphasizing the act of moving away from the correct or intended course.
違 has 13 strokes and is designated as a Grade 6 Jōyō Kanji. This means it is taught to Japanese elementary school students in their sixth year. While it provides a crucial character for everyday communication, its comprehensive usage and compound words are integral to the JLPT N3 curriculum and beyond.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary On'yomi for 違 is イ (i). This reading comes from the original Chinese pronunciation and is mainly used in compound words, especially in formal or abstract contexts. It often relates to concepts like violation, discrepancy, unconstitutionality, and other systematic forms of non-compliance or difference.
違反 (ihan) — violation, infringement, breach. This term describes the act of breaking a rule, law, or agreement, often implying formal non-adherence.
例：交通違反 (kōtsū ihan) — traffic violation
例：規則違反 (kisoku ihan) — rule violation
違法 (ihō) — illegality, unlawfulness. Refers to something that is against the law or illegal.
例：違法行為 (ihō kōi) — illegal act
例：違法駐車 (ihō chūsha) — illegal parking
相違 (sōi) — difference, discrepancy, divergence. Used to point out a disparity, disagreement, or lack of correspondence between two or more things, often in formal reports or discussions.
例：意見の相違 (iken no sōi) — difference of opinion
例：事実との相違 (jijitsu to no sōi) — discrepancy with the facts
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The Kun'yomi readings of 違 are typically used with native Japanese words, often verbs or nouns. They convey more direct, everyday meanings such as differing, being wrong, or making a mistake. These readings emphasize the character's dynamic applications and are essential for conversational Japanese.
ちが.う (chiga.u) — This is an intransitive verb meaning "to differ," "to be wrong," "to be mistaken," or "to be different." It is one of the most frequently encountered uses of this kanji, indicating a state of being non-identical or incorrect.
違う (chigau) — to differ, to be wrong. This form is commonly used in phrases for expressing disagreement or correcting someone.
例：意見が違う (iken ga chigau) — opinions differ.
話が違う (hanashi ga chigau) — the story/agreement is different (from what was expected or said).
ちが.える (chiga.eru) — This is a transitive verb, meaning "to make a mistake," "to alter," or "to sprain (a joint)." It implies that a subject actively causes a deviation or error.
間違える (machigaeru) — to make a mistake, to err. This is an extremely common verb in daily life. (Note: While often written with 間 as 間違える, the '違える' part directly uses this kun'yomi).
例：道を間違える (michi wo machigaeru) — to take the wrong road.
手首を違える (tekubi wo chigaeru) — to sprain one's wrist (literally, to make one's wrist go wrong).
ちが.い (chiga.i) — This is a noun form derived from the verb 違う, directly meaning "difference" or "mistake." It refers to the state or result of something being different or incorrect.
違い (chigai) — difference, discrepancy. This is a very versatile noun.
例：文化の違い (bunka no chigai) — cultural differences.
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 違 appears in a wide array of useful Japanese words. It highlights its importance in expressing disparity, error, and transgression across various contexts, from formal legal terms to everyday conversational phrases. Mastering these compounds is crucial for JLPT N3 proficiency.
Words related to Difference and Discrepancy:
相違 (sōi) — difference, discrepancy, divergence. This term is often used in formal contexts, especially in written Japanese, to describe a lack of agreement or correspondence between facts, opinions, or data.
違い (chigai) — difference, distinction, error. A very common and versatile noun, it's used in daily conversation to simply state that things are not the same or to point out a mistake.
違和感 (iwakan) — a sense of discomfort or unease. It refers to feeling out of place or perceiving that something is "off" or incongruous.
食い違う (kuichigau) — to cross, to conflict, to clash, to be inconsistent. Use this verb when statements, testimonies, or intentions do not match or are contradictory.
Words related to Violations and Illegality:
違反 (ihan) — violation, infringement, breach. This is a key term for any act that goes against established rules, laws, contracts, or etiquette.
違法 (ihō) — illegality, unlawfulness. It describes actions, items, or situations that are against the law, often used in legal and journalistic contexts.
違約 (iyaku) — breach of contract, non-fulfillment of a promise. This specifically refers to failing to uphold the terms of an agreement or promise.
違憲 (iken) — unconstitutionality. This term describes laws or actions that contradict the principles or articles of a constitution.
Words related to Mistakes and Errors:
違う (chigau) — to differ, to be wrong, to be mistaken (intransitive verb). This fundamental verb is used for correcting information or expressing disagreement.
間違える (machigaeru) — to make a mistake, to err (transitive verb). This incredibly common verb is used when someone actively commits an error, from small miscalculations to major blunders.
間違い (machigai) — mistake, error, fault (noun). This noun form indicates an incorrect statement, action, or assumption.
行き違い (ikichigai) — misunderstanding, crossing paths, passing each other. This occurs when two people miss each other due to a timing error or when their communication leads to a misinterpretation.
Example Sentences
この二つの意見は少し違います。
Kono futatsu no iken wa sukoshi chigaimasu.
These two opinions differ slightly.
ごめんなさい、駅を間違えました。
Gomennasai, eki wo machigaemashita.
I'm sorry, I took the wrong station.
それは法律に違法です。
Sore wa hōritsu ni ihō desu.
That is illegal according to the law.
その行為は規則に違反しています。
Sono kōi wa kisoku ni ihan shite imasu.
That action violates the rules.
思っていたのと違って、とても楽しかったです。
Omotte ita no to chigatte, totemo tanoshikatta desu.
Contrary to what I thought, it was very fun.
この書類にはいくつか相違点があります。
Kono shorui ni wa ikutsu ka sōiten ga arimasu.
There are several discrepancies in this document.
彼の話と彼女の話は食い違っている。
Kare no hanashi to kanojo no hanashi wa kuichigatte iru.
His story and her story conflict.
この場所には何か違和感を感じます。
Kono basho ni wa nani ka iwakan wo kanjimasu.
I feel some discomfort in this place.
私たちは時間が行き違い、会えませんでした。
Watashitachi wa jikan ga ikichigai, aemasen deshita.
We missed each other due to a timing misunderstanding, so we couldn't meet.
Memory Tip
Here's a memory tip for 違: Imagine its components telling a simple, memorable story. The radical 辶 symbolizes "walking" or "a path," indicating movement. The right-hand component 韋 (also a kanji meaning "to surround" or "leather") can be imagined as a barrier or something that forces you to turn around. So, envision yourself walking straight along a path. Suddenly, you encounter a barrier or a sign that forces you to turn away or go in a different direction. You are forced to deviate from your original course. This means you are going the wrong way or violating the implied straight path. This visual of "walking away from what's straight" or "being turned aside" directly connects to all its core meanings: to differ, to be wrong, or to violate by going off course. The movement radical signifies the action of differing, while the phonetic component hints at the deviation itself.