Translation guide
To understand something incorrectly, often leading to a wrong conclusion or action. This guide covers common Japanese expressions for misinterpreting words, intentions, situations, and signals.
I misinterpreted his words.
That's a misunderstanding.
To get the wrong idea, to mistake one thing for another. Often used for personal assumptions or misreading a situation.
I misinterpreted her kindness as affection.
I had the date wrong.
To mistake one thing for another, to mix up. Used when you misinterpret something as something else.
I misinterpreted the sarcasm as serious.
To incorrectly judge a social situation, atmosphere, or non-verbal cue.
To wrongly assume someone's motives or emotions.
誤解 is a general misunderstanding, often about facts or words. 勘違い implies a mistaken assumption or mix-up, often personal. 勘違い is more casual and common in daily life.
to clear up a misunderstanding
Don't get the wrong idea.
Avoid directly translating 'misinterpret' as 誤訳する, which specifically means 'to mistranslate'. Use 誤解する or 勘違いする for general misinterpretation.
情勢を見誤った。
I misread the situation.
He deliberately misinterpreted my statement.