間ま違ちがい

ま

ち

が

い

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 1,000

Meanings

The ordinary sense: something is wrong, incorrect, or done by mistake. Common with particles such as 間違いがある, 間違いを直す, and 私の間違い.

この書しょ類るいには漢かん字じの間ま違ちがいが三みっつある。
There are three kanji mistakes in this document.
それは私わたしの間ま違ちがいでした。
That was my mistake.

noun

mishap; accident; trouble

A less central use meaning an unfortunate happening or something going wrong, often in set-like phrasing such as 万一の間違い.

万まん一いちの間ま違ちがいがあってからでは遅おそい。
If something goes wrong, it will be too late.

noun

indiscretion; improper conduct

Euphemistic and somewhat old-fashioned, especially for improper conduct or a sexual or romantic indiscretion between people.

二人ふたりの間あいだに間ま違ちがいがあったという噂うわさが広ひろまった。
Rumors spread that there had been an indiscretion between the two.

Usage patterns

間ま違ちがいを直なおすto correct a mistake
先せん生せいがテストの間ま違ちがいを直なおしてくれた。
The teacher corrected the mistakes on my test.
間ま違ちがいに気きづくto notice a mistake
書しょ類るいを出だす前まえに間ま違ちがいに気きづいた。
I noticed a mistake before submitting the documents.
間ま違ちがいを犯おかすto commit an error
彼かれは大おおきな間ま違ちがいを犯おかしてしまった。
He ended up committing a serious mistake.
間ま違ちがいを指し摘てきするto point out a mistake
同どう僚りょうが私わたしの間ま違ちがいを指し摘てきしてくれた。
My coworker pointed out my mistake.
万まん一いちの間ま違ちがいがないようにto make sure no unfortunate mishap occurs
万まん一いちの間ま違ちがいがないように、何なん度ども確かく認にんした。
I checked several times to make sure nothing would go wrong.

Expressions

間ま違ちがいないcertain; sure; no doubt · reliable; dependable
間ま違ちがいなしcertain; sure; no doubt

Kanji

間interval, space
違difference, differ

Related words· 11

誤あやまりN3sense 1
誤り and 間違い both mean a mistake, but 誤り sounds more formal or written, common in official or academic contexts.
ミスN3sense 1
ミス is a casual loanword for a small practical mistake, while 間違い is the general native word covering all kinds of errors.
失しっ敗ぱいN4sense 1
失敗 emphasizes a failed attempt or outcome, whereas 間違い focuses on something being factually wrong or incorrect.
過あやまちN1sense 3
過ち is a literary, moralizing word for a wrongdoing or indiscretion, close to the euphemistic sense of 間違い for improper conduct.

Show 7 more

嘘うそN5
間違い is the neutral word for a mistake or error, while 嘘 in this sense can carry a milder note of a wrong statement without necessarily implying intent.
誤ご差さN1
間違い is a general everyday mistake, while 誤差 refers specifically to a measurable or calculated discrepancy in technical contexts.
手て違ちがいN1
手違い implies a mistake in procedure or arrangement, often due to miscommunication, while 間違い is a general term for any kind of error.
誤ごN1
間違い is the everyday standalone word for a mistake, while 誤 is a bound form that only appears as a prefix or component in compounds like 誤解 and 誤字.
錯さく誤ごN1
間違い is the common, everyday word for a mistake, while 錯誤 is formal and typically used in written, academic, or legal contexts.
勘かん違ちがいN2
間違い is a general word for any mistake or error, whereas 勘違い specifically means a wrong assumption or mistaken belief, not a factual slip.
エラー
間違い is a native, general word for a mistake in fact or judgment, whereas エラー often implies a system, procedural, or technical failure.

Opposites

正せい解かいN2sense 1
正解 means the correct answer, the direct opposite of 間違い as an incorrect one.

Don't confuse with

違ちがいN3sense 1
違い just means a difference between things, while 間違い specifically means something is wrong or mistaken.
間ま抜ぬけN1
間違い ('mistake') shares the kanji 間 with 間抜け but means an error, not a description of a foolish person or trait.
人ひと違ちがいN2
間違い is any general mistake or error, while 人違い specifically means mistaking one person for another.

Counted with

箇か所しょN2
place; point; part; spot; area; passage; portion · counter for places, parts, passages, etc.

Word family· 10

大おお間ま違ちがい
great mistake; serious error; blunder; complete misunderstanding
見み間ま違ちがい
mistaking something for something else visually; misjudgment from seeing wrong
かけ間ま違ちがい
wrong number; misdial
打うち間ま違ちがい
typo; typing error
書かき間ま違ちがい
slip of the pen; mistake in writing; misspelling

Show 5 more

聞きき間ま違ちがい
mishearing
言いい間ま違ちがい
slip of the tongue; verbal mistake
間ま違ちがいなく
without fail; undoubtedly; for sure
間ま違ちがい探さがし
spot the difference; photo hunt
間ま違ちがい電でん話わ
wrong number

Written forms

間ま違ちがいUsage87%
Standard common spelling for the noun meaning a mistake, error, or, in limited expressions, a mishap or indiscretion.
まちがいUsage13%
マチガイUsage<1%

Etymology

Nominal form related to the verb 間違う, 'to be mistaken' or 'to make a mistake.' The kanji spelling conventionally associates 間 and 違 with something being out of place or wrong; this is a practical spelling explanation, not a precise historical derivation.

Meanings

noun

mistake; error; blunder

The ordinary sense: something is wrong, incorrect, or done by mistake. Common with particles such as 間違いがある, 間違いを直す, and 私の間違い.

この書しょ類るいには漢かん字じの間ま違ちがいが三みっつある。
There are three kanji mistakes in this document.
それは私わたしの間ま違ちがいでした。
That was my mistake.

noun

mishap; accident; trouble

A less central use meaning an unfortunate happening or something going wrong, often in set-like phrasing such as 万一の間違い.

万まん一いちの間ま違ちがいがあってからでは遅おそい。
If something goes wrong, it will be too late.

noun

indiscretion; improper conduct

Euphemistic and somewhat old-fashioned, especially for improper conduct or a sexual or romantic indiscretion between people.

二人ふたりの間あいだに間ま違ちがいがあったという噂うわさが広ひろまった。
Rumors spread that there had been an indiscretion between the two.

Related words· 11

誤あやまりN3sense 1

誤り and 間違い both mean a mistake, but 誤り sounds more formal or written, common in official or academic contexts.

ミスN3sense 1

ミス is a casual loanword for a small practical mistake, while 間違い is the general native word covering all kinds of errors.

失しっ敗ぱいN4sense 1

失敗 emphasizes a failed attempt or outcome, whereas 間違い focuses on something being factually wrong or incorrect.

過あやまちN1sense 3

過ち is a literary, moralizing word for a wrongdoing or indiscretion, close to the euphemistic sense of 間違い for improper conduct.

Show 7 more

嘘うそN5
間違い is the neutral word for a mistake or error, while 嘘 in this sense can carry a milder note of a wrong statement without necessarily implying intent.
誤ご差さN1
間違い is a general everyday mistake, while 誤差 refers specifically to a measurable or calculated discrepancy in technical contexts.
手て違ちがいN1
手違い implies a mistake in procedure or arrangement, often due to miscommunication, while 間違い is a general term for any kind of error.
誤ごN1
間違い is the everyday standalone word for a mistake, while 誤 is a bound form that only appears as a prefix or component in compounds like 誤解 and 誤字.
錯さく誤ごN1
間違い is the common, everyday word for a mistake, while 錯誤 is formal and typically used in written, academic, or legal contexts.
勘かん違ちがいN2
間違い is a general word for any mistake or error, whereas 勘違い specifically means a wrong assumption or mistaken belief, not a factual slip.
エラー
間違い is a native, general word for a mistake in fact or judgment, whereas エラー often implies a system, procedural, or technical failure.

Don't confuse with

違ちがいN3sense 1

違い just means a difference between things, while 間違い specifically means something is wrong or mistaken.

間ま抜ぬけN1

間違い ('mistake') shares the kanji 間 with 間抜け but means an error, not a description of a foolish person or trait.

人ひと違ちがいN2

間違い is any general mistake or error, while 人違い specifically means mistaking one person for another.