代かわる代がわる

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Common wordJLPTN1

Meanings

adverb

alternately; by turns; taking turns

Describes multiple people doing something in rotation, one after another. Often used with verbs like する, 行く, or 話す.

三さん人にんの子こ供どもが代かわる代がわるピアノを弾ひいた。
The three children took turns playing the piano.
会かい議ぎでは、参さん加か者しゃが代かわる代がわる意い見けんを述のべた。
At the meeting, the participants expressed their opinions by turns.

See all 12 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

代かわる代がわる〈動どう詞し〉to take turns doing (a verb)
みんなで代かわる代がわる歌うたを歌うたった。
Everyone took turns singing a song.
〈人ひと〉が代かわる代がわる話はなすfor people to speak one after another, in turns
会かい議ぎでは出しゅっ席せき者しゃが代かわる代がわる話はなした。
At the meeting, the attendees spoke one after another, taking turns.
代かわる代がわる看かん病びょうするto take turns nursing/caring for someone
家か族ぞくが代かわる代がわる病びょう人にんを看かん病びょうした。
The family took turns caring for the sick person.

Kanji

代substitute, change, convert

Related words

交こう互ごにN1
交互に is a more formal, regular alternation typically between two things, while 代わる代わる is casual and can involve several people taking turns.
順じゅん番ばんに
順番に stresses following a set order or sequence, whereas 代わる代わる highlights people swapping roles or turns without necessarily implying a fixed order.
かわりばんこに
かわりばんこに is an even more colloquial, child-friendly way of saying 代わる代わる, used mainly in casual speech.
交こう互ごN1
代わる代わる is a colloquial phrase for people taking turns doing the same action, while 交互 is a more formal, broader term that can describe any alternating pattern, including between things.

Written forms

代かわる代がわるUsage38%
Standard kanji spelling; the repetition of 代わる emphasizes the alternating nature.
かわるがわるUsage56%
Kana spelling is common in informal writing and when the kanji repetition feels heavy.
代かわる代がわるUsage6%
Abbreviated kanji form; less common but recognized.

Etymology

Reduplication of the verb 代わる (かわる, 'to take the place of, to be substituted'). The repetition creates an adverbial phrase meaning 'alternating, taking turns'.