# 別 separate

口 (mouth/small box radical) + (shhh) + 刀 (sword)
★★★★★
7 strokes

## Onyomi

BETSU | I'll BET TWO dollars that you and your boyfriend separate by next year.

## Mnemonic

| If you don't shhh, I'll use my sword to separate your yapping mouth from your face!

## Kunyomi

( と ) わか*れる | to separate, like 'break up with', or like when you separate wheat from the chaff. ★★★★☆
べつ ( のｘｘｘ ) | a different kind of thing ★★★☆☆
べつ ( にｘｘｘ ) | means 'especially' , but always used in the negative: Did you enjoy your date? 別に. (‘Not really!’) Sorry to trouble you. 別に (‘It’s no problem.’) SARC ★★★★★

## Jukugo

特別(とくべつ) な | special ★★★★★ 特 (special) + 別 (separate) = 特別 (special )
別々(べつべつ) | separately ★★★★☆ separately, as in "separate checks"　at a restaraunt
区別(くべつ) する | distinguish ★★★☆☆ 区 (ward) + 別 (separate) = 区別 (distinguish) to make a distinction - to tell one thing from another - 2 synonyms, for instance. or 2 similar-looking kanji
性別(せいべつ) | gender ★★☆☆☆ 性 (sex / essential nature) + 別 (separate) = 性別 (gender)

## Lookalikes

| Meaning | Hint | Radical
--- | --- | --- | ---
別 | separate | MOUTH | 口
列 | row | SHHH!! |

The MOUTH is loud which makes it separate
from the row of people saying SHHH!

## Synonyms

different 別の 他の よその
differ 異なる 差 食い違い 相違 間隔 区別 距離
especially 特に 別に
tell the difference, discriminate 区別 差別