[Japanese idioms] 雲泥の差 (undei no sa) – A whole lot of difference

Idiom

Meaning

The phrase “雲泥うんでい” (The difference between clouds and mud.) refers to a vast difference, a stark contrast, or an insurmountable gap between two things.


Example sentence

最新さいしんモデルのスマートフォンと5年前ねんまえのモデルには雲泥うんでいがある。
The latest smartphone model and the one from five years ago have a whole lot of difference.


Author

  • gokigen japanese

    gokigen japanese is an online Japanese tutoring service launched in 2023. Flexible, interactive, and culture-rich, gokigen japanese supports learners at all levels with bilingual Japanese tutors.
    Over 1,000 students from 30+ countries have used our 300+ original materials, including grammar guides and cultural content.

    gokigen japanese was founded by Hirofumi Naramura, a Kyoto University graduate and former Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group (2010–2020). The service has received recognition such as the Chiyoda CULTURE x TECH Award 2024 and acceptance into NEXs Tokyo, a startup program by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.