noun
misalignment; putting in the wrong place; hanging incorrectly; buttoning wrong
Physical misplacement: hanging something on the wrong hook, putting something in the wrong slot, or fastening buttons out of order. Often used for tangible objects.
ボタンの掛け違いに気づいて、慌てて直した。
I noticed my buttons were done up wrong and hurriedly fixed them.
絵を掛け違いして、隣のフックにかけてしまった。
I hung the picture in the wrong place, putting it on the next hook.
noun
disagreement; conflict; discrepancy; mismatch; inconsistency
Abstract mismatch or inconsistency between opinions, plans, expectations, or data. Often used in phrases like 意見の掛け違い (difference of opinion) or 認識の掛け違い (gap in understanding).
お互いの認識に掛け違いがあったようだ。
There seems to have been a discrepancy in our understanding.
スケジュールの掛け違
noun
crossing paths without meeting; missing each other
Two people or things passing by without encountering each other, often due to timing or route differences. Can be literal (e.g., on a road) or figurative (e.g., missed connection).
彼とは掛け違いになって、結局会えなかった。
We ended up missing each other and couldn't meet.
廊下で掛け違いになり、すれ違った。
We passed each other in the hallway without meeting.
Due to a scheduling mix-up, no one came to the meeting.
行き違い also means 'crossing without meeting' or 'misunderstanding', but focuses on movement or communication going astray, while 掛け違い emphasizes misalignment or mismatch, often with a physical origin.
ずれ is a more general term for 'gap' or 'deviation', used for both physical and abstract misalignment, but lacks the specific nuance of 'hanging' or 'buttoning' wrong.
Compound of 掛け (kake, 'hanging' or 'putting on') + 違い (chigai, 'difference' or 'mistake'). The literal sense of mis-hanging or mis-fastening extended to abstract mismatches and missed encounters.