Difference between 区別 and 差別


What is the difference between 区別{くべつ} and 差別{さべつ}?

I looked them up in my Japanese to Chinese dictionary, but the dictionary
defines them to be "difference", to put it literally.




区別 and 差別 both carry a mean of "discrimination" but have distinct meanings in
Japanese.

区別 is for putting things in different categories or domains, i.e. the ability
to distinguish. For instance, the phrase [善悪]{ぜんあく}の区別 = to discriminate
between good and evil.

差別 often means discrimination in the pejorative, i.e. to place a [差]{さ}, here
meaning difference in level or quality between two things, people, countries,
etc. Thus, [性差別]{せいさべつ} and [人種差別]{じんしゅさべつ} are sexual and racial
discrimination. There are a lot of other words in that category as well. But
as Choko points out [差別化]{さべつか} means "product differentiation," so the word
is not exclusively used with this meaning.




区別 and 差別 both carry a mean of "discrimination" but have distinct meanings in
Japanese.

区別 is for putting things in different categories or domains, i.e. the ability
to distinguish. For instance, the phrase [善悪]{ぜんあく}の区別 = to discriminate
between good and evil.

差別 often means discrimination in the pejorative, i.e. to place a [差]{さ}, here
meaning difference in level or quality between two things, people, countries,
etc. Thus, [性差別]{せいさべつ} and [人種差別]{じんしゅさべつ} are sexual and racial
discrimination. There are a lot of other words in that category as well. But
as Choko points out [差別化]{さべつか} means "product differentiation," so the word
is not exclusively used with this meaning.

