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取り違える (とりちがえる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

取とり違ちがえる

と

り

ち

が

え

る

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

mistake one thing for another; mix up; confuse

Used when physically or perceptually confusing two items, such as taking the wrong object or mixing up similar things.

傘かさを取とり違ちがえてしまった。
I took the wrong umbrella by mistake.
似にた名な前まえの薬くすりを取とり違ちがえないよう

に

注ちゅう

意い

し

て

ください

。

Please be careful not to mix up medicines with similar names.

2

ichidan verb, transitive verb

misunderstand; misapprehend

Refers to misunderstanding words, intentions, or meanings; less common than the physical mix-up sense.

彼かれの言こと葉ばの意い味みを取とり違ちがえて、怒おこらせてしまった。
I misunderstood the meaning of his words and made him angry.

Written forms

取とり違ちがえるUsage90%
Standard kanji spelling with okurigana; common in news and everyday writing.
とりちがえるUsage9%
取とり違ちがえるUsage1%
Less common variant with reduced okurigana; seen in some formal or older texts.

Kanji

取take, fetch, take up
違difference, differ

Similar words

間ま違ちがえる
間違える is a general verb for making a mistake or error, while 取り違える specifically means confusing one thing with another or misunderstanding.
混こん同どうする
混同する is a more formal suru-verb for confusing or mixing up concepts, whereas 取り違える often implies a physical or concrete mix-up.

Etymology

Compound of 取り (tori, continuative form of 取る 'to take') + 違える (chigaeru, 'to mistake, to change'). The combination yields 'to take mistakenly' or 'to confuse'.