とっかえひっかえ

と

っ

か

え

ひ

っ

か

え

Meanings

1

adverb

one after another; in rapid succession

usually written using kana alone

Describes doing something repeatedly with different items or people in quick succession, often with a sense of variety or constant change. Used adverbially with に.

彼かれは取とっ替かえ引ひっ替かえ、いろんな帽ぼう子しをかぶってみせた。
He tried on one hat after another, showing us various ones.

取とっ替かえ引ひっ替かえに新あたらしいゲームを遊あそんでいる。

They're playing new games one after another.

2

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru'

exchanging repeatedly; swapping out

usually written using kana alone

Focuses on the act of exchanging or swapping things repeatedly. Can be used as a noun or with する to describe the action.

服ふくを取とっ替かえ引ひっ替かえして、結けっ局きょく最さい初しょのに戻もどった。
I kept changing clothes one after another, and in the end went back to the first one.
彼かの女じょはバッグを取とっ替かえ引ひっ替かえするのが好すきだ。
She likes swapping her bags repeatedly.

Written forms

取とっ替かえ引ひっ替かえ
Standard kanji spelling using 替 (exchange).
取とっ換かえ引ひっ換かえ
Variant using 換 (replace); less common but still seen.
取とっかえ引ひっかえ
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; acceptable but less formal.

Kanji

取take, fetch, take up
替exchange, spare, substitute
引pull, tug, jerk
換interchange, period, change

Similar words

次つぎ々つぎ
次々 means 'one after another' in a sequential, orderly manner, while 取っ替え引っ替え emphasizes variety and constant swapping or changing.
入いれ替かわり
入れ替わり focuses on replacement or substitution, often of people or things, but lacks the rapid, varied repetition implied by 取っ替え引っ替え.

Etymology

Reduplicative compound from 取っ替え (とっかえ, 'exchange') and 引っ替え (ひっかえ, 'replace'), both derived from verbs 取る (とる, 'take') and 引く (ひく, 'pull') with the っかえ suffix indicating exchange. The repetition emphasizes continuous swapping.