Japanese symbol for “distinction”
差別
さべつ
Romaji: sabetsu
distinction; differentiation; discrimination
In Japanese, distinction is 差別, read さべつ (sabetsu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n, vs, vt distinction; differentiation; discrimination
- n, vs, vt discrimination (against people)
Written forms: 差別. Readings: さべつ、しゃべつ、しゃべち.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “distinction”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 区別 | くべつ kubetsu | distinction; differentiation; discrimination |
| 違い | ちがい chigai | difference; distinction; discrepancy |
| 特徴 | とくちょう tokuchou | feature; trait; characteristic |
| 識別 | しきべつ shikibetsu | distinction; discrimination; discernment |
| 名誉 | めいよ meiyo | honor; honour; credit |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 格差 | かくさ kakusa | qualitative difference; disparity; gap |
| 交差点 | こうさてん kousaten | crossing; intersection |
| 時差 | じさ jisa | time difference |
| 日差し | ひざし hizashi | sunlight; rays of the Sun |
| 誤差 | ごさ gosa | measurement error; calculation error |
| 特別 | とくべつ tokubetsu | special; particular; extraordinary |
| 別に | べつに betsuni | (not) particularly; (not) especially; (not) specially |
| 別れ | わかれ wakare | parting (of people); separation; farewell |
See also: Chinese symbol for “distinction”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.