passing each other without meeting; just missing someone
Describes a situation where two people fail to meet because one arrives just after the other has left. Often used with になる or で. This term is rare; the more common synonym is 入れ違い.
See also: 入れ違い
I missed him because we passed each other without meeting.
We just missed each other, arriving and leaving at the same time.
Standard kanji spelling.
Variant spelling without the okurigana り.
Compound of 入り (iri, 'entering') + 違い (chigai, 'difference' or 'crossing'). The exact derivation is uncertain, but it likely follows the pattern of 入れ違い (irechigai).