HSK 3.0 · LEVEL 1
差
Different; poor quality; an error; to lack or fall short of.
Free Chinese vocabulary flashcard · HSK 1
Why does 差 look like this?
This character is composed of the top part '羊' (sheep) and the bottom part '工' (work). Historically, it depicted a hand holding a plant or wool that was uneven. Today, think of it as 'working' (工) with 'sheep' (羊) that aren't all the same quality—leading to the meanings of difference, mistakes, or falling short!