截然不同 jiérán-bùtóng entirely different
entirely different; different as black and white
How to remember 截然不同: 截 to cut off + 然 however + 不 not + 同 same = entirely different.
Characters
How it is used
- Idiom: completely/utterly different - as different as can be - 两人的性格截然不同 (liǎng rén de xìnggé jiérán-bùtóng) their personalities are poles apart.
- 截然 means 'sharply, cleanly cut', so it stresses a stark, clear-cut contrast, stronger than plain 不一样 (bù yīyàng).
- Also 截然相反 (jiérán xiāngfǎn) diametrically opposed.