Which to use
“K” and “km” are a confusable French pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,132
- “K” frequency rank
- #1,030
- “km” frequency rank
- 3162
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | K | km |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Symbolisation de la potasse (K₂O). | Symbole du kilomètre, unité de mesure de longueur du Système international (SI), valant 1000 mètres (10³ mètres). |
Letter map: K vs km
Shared letters muted; letters that set K and km apart highlighted. Shared run: 1.
Corpus notes: K and km
K and km are indexed as a confusable French pair. We have no recorded pronunciation or part of speech for both members, so the spelling overlap is what we can show you: they differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “K” sits inside “km”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 3162, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
K is recorded at frequency rank #2,132, classified as asymbol. km is at rank #1,030, tagged as asymbol.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 3162, this pair ranks #434,639 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of K vs km
Shared letters: k. Private to "K": -. Private to "km": m.
"K" · 1 letters · shape C · "km" · 2 letters · shape CC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "K" for "km" ever safe?
In ordinary French text, does "K" or "km" show up more?
Useful next steps
You've compared "K" and "km". Here's where to go from here.
- Full dictionary entry for "K" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "km" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #434,639 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "K" and "km" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "K vs ky". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #434,639 of 440,172 scored French pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.