godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb
be replaced; succeed someone; relieve someone
Only when written 替わる / 替る
Intransitive use for a person, role, shift, or item being replaced by another. This is not the sense 'to succeed' as in 'to be successful.' 替わる is the especially typical spelling.
受付の係は一時間ごとに替わる。
The reception staff rotate every hour.
年度
The person in charge was replaced in the middle of the fiscal year.
godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb
take the place of; substitute for; represent; hand over the phone
Only when written 代わる / 代る
Used when someone acts in another person's place or on their behalf. In telephone contexts, 〜に代わります means handing the call over to that person. 代わる is the especially typical spelling.
社長に代わって、副社長が式に出席した。
The vice president attended the ceremony on behalf of the president.
少々お待ちください。担当者に代わります。
Please hold for a moment. I will put the person in charge on the line.
godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb
be exchanged; switch places; be swapped
Only when written 換わる / 換る
Used for things changing places or being exchanged, especially when the idea is mutual exchange rather than simple replacement. 換わる is the highlighted spelling, though 入れ換わる or the transitive 換える may be more common in many everyday contexts.
このポイントは現金に換わる。
These points can be exchanged for cash.
昼休みのあと、二人の席が換わっていた。
After lunch, the two people's seats had been switched.