Proverb / Kotowaza
雲泥の差
An immense difference or gap between two things that makes them incomparable.
The difference between clouds and mud
Quick Answer
An immense difference or gap between two things that makes them incomparable.
- Literal Image
- The difference between clouds and mud
- How to Use It
- Used when comparing two things of the same category to highlight that one is vastly superior or simply completely different from the other.
Meaning
This expression describes a situation where there is such a vast disparity between two items that they cannot be reasonably compared. One is viewed as being as high as the clouds in the sky, while the other is as low as the mud on the ground, emphasizing an extreme distance in quality, status, or performance.
Literal Image
The difference between clouds and mud
How to Use It
Used when comparing two things of the same category to highlight that one is vastly superior or simply completely different from the other.
Tone
Neutral but used to emphasize a sharp and undeniable contrast.
Examples
同じメーカーの製品でも、最新モデルと10年前のモデルでは、その性能に雲泥の差がある。
Even for products from the same manufacturer, there is a world of difference in performance between the latest model and one from ten years ago.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The kanji for 'mud' and 'difference' are standard intermediate, and the phrase is a core idiomatic expression for describing disparities.
雲
うん / un
cloud
泥
でい / dei
mud
差
さ / sa
difference; gap
Usage Profile
Usage note: This phrase emphasizes an extreme gap; using it for small differences may sound hyperbolic.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret this as a literal statement about weather or soil; it is strictly a metaphor for incomparable differences.
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Origin
The term 'clouds' refers to things high in the sky, while 'mud' refers to things on the ground. Because of the vast distance between the heavens and the earth, the phrase became a way to express extreme differences. Similar expressions are found in the poetry of Bai Juyi (Bai Rakuten) from the Tang Dynasty in China.
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Source Note
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