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入れ替わり (irekawari) Japanese meaning: substitution | Kotomora
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社しゃ
員いん
の
入い
れ
替か
わり
が
激はげ
しい
会かい
社しゃ
だ
。
It's a company with a high turnover of employees.
The guards change over at the shift change between day and night.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 と 入い れ 替か わりになる to change places with someone
I swapped places with him and left the room.
〈 人ひと 〉 と 入い れ 替か わりに 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 to do something just as another person leaves/takes their place
I entered the room just as my sister left it.
〈 人ひと 〉 が 入い れ 替か わりで 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 people take turns doing something in rotation
The staff took their breaks in rotation, one after another.
Kanji 替 exchange, spare, substitute 代 substitute, change, convert Related words 交代 emphasizes people taking turns in a role or duty, while 入れ替わり focuses on the swapping or shifting of things (or positions) more generally.
交換 describes a mutual, deliberate exchange of items, whereas 入れ替わり can describe a one-sided or natural turnover without mutual agreement.
Written forms 入い れ 替か わり Usage 79%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
入い れ 代か わり Usage 11%
Variant using 代; less common but still encountered.
入い れ 替かわ り Usage 8%
Rare okurigana variant; not recommended for learners.
入い れ 代かわ り
Etymology Compound of the verb 入れる (to put in) in its continuative form 入れ and the verb 替わる (to be replaced) in its continuative form 替わり, literally meaning 'putting in and replacing'.
Usage 3%
Rare okurigana variant; not recommended for learners.