Similarities

[diello]

I hate the way pronouncing something slightly different makes a word completely different. I mean, sure, I don't want a load of sand in my after-dinner snack or be stranded on a giant banana cream pie, but it really makes learning languages difficult.

However, I found this difference quite funny:

囚人 "shuujin" means prisoner.
BUT…
主人 "shujin" means husband.

An obvious difference in spelling, but not pronunciation, whereas in English, the spelling of desert and dessert, as well as pronunciation, are not far off.