Word
交替
Meaning in Englishchange, relief, alteration
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
交替 means alternation or substitution, referring to a planned swap where one person or thing takes over from another in a sequence or over time. It captures the concept of taking turns or replacing duties, rather than a one-time change.
Main meanings
- Alternation or rotation of duties, typically in work schedules, teams, or responsibilities
- Substitution or replacement of a person, object, or process when the usual one is unavailable
- Switching states in a mechanism or system to maintain continuity and efficiency
How to use it
Used mainly in formal and organizational contexts to describe a scheduled handover of duties, shifts, or roles. Common in corporate HR, operations, and public settings; in sports it appears in contexts of substitutions, though 交代 tends to be more common; typical phrases include 交替で and 交替制.
Variants and close terms
- 代替 (daitai) — substitution
- 交替制 (koutai-sei) — system of alternating duties
- 交替勤務 (koutai kinmu) — shift-based work arrangement
Composition
- 交: exchange, crossing
- 替: substitute, replacement
- Together they convey the idea of exchanging or taking turns in duties or roles
Word class
Noun (suru-verb)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N3
外交
gaikou
diplomacy, foreign relations
N3
替える
kaeru
exchange, replace, switch
N3
交換
koukan
exchange, swap, replacement
N3
交際
kousai
social relationship, association, dating
N3
両替
ryougae
money exchange, currency exchange
N3
交ざる
mazaru
to be mixed, to mingle with
N3
交じる
majiru
to be mixed, to mingle with
N3
交ぜる
mazeru
to be mixed, to be blended with
N4
交通
koutsuu
traffic, transportation
Kanji