The main difference is that most plants have chloroplasts, which can carry out photosynthesis under light and make their own organic matter, so they belong to autotrophs. Animals, on the other hand, do not have this function. They must directly use ready-made organic matter to obtain energy, which belongs to heterotrophs.

1 whether there is a cell wall (plant cells generally have cell walls; Animal cells generally have no cell wall, and some have envelope or extracellular matrix. ) (the broad concept of animal cells)

2 whether there is centrosome (higher plant cells directly form spindles at the two poles of the cell when there is no centrosome division; Animal cells have centrosomes)

3 whether cell plates are formed during cell division (plant cells form cell plates; Division in the later stage of animal cell division)

4 with or without chloroplasts (higher plant cells contain chloroplasts; Animal cells have no chloroplasts)

5 whether there is plasmodesmata (plasmodesmata exists between higher plant cells; There are no plasmodesmata between animal cells, only desmosomes and adhesive bands)

6 whether there are vacuoles (there are large vacuoles in mature higher plant cells; There are no large vacuoles in animal cells)

The above is my view on the difference between plant cells and animal cells.

There is no absolute distinction between generalized binary methods.

If it is only junior high school, filling the cell wall should not be a problem.

There is only one feature that can be completely distinguished between plants and animals, that is, plant cells have cell walls and animal cells have no cell walls.

There are exceptions to other characteristics. For example:

Generally speaking, plants can carry out photosynthesis, but animals can't. However, lower animals have chlorophyll in their green eyes and can carry out photosynthesis in the sun, while some saprophytes, such as crystal orchids, do not carry out photosynthesis without chlorophyll.

Although generally speaking, animals move and plants don't move, the adults of oysters live in one place all their lives and never move, and the venus flytrap and mimosa can see their rapid movement.

But when you use the word "essence" here, you should mean some fundamental difference that has a decisive influence on nature. I think it should be-plants are creatures that make organic matter, absorb and solidify carbon in the air and accumulate chemical energy; Animals are organisms that ingest organic matter, release carbon into the air and consume chemical energy.