変かえる

か

え

る

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

Broad transitive use: make something different in state, form, appearance, or nature. Covers physical and abstract objects.

髪かみ型がたを変かえたい。
I want to change my hairstyle.
予よ定ていを変かえる必ひつ要ようがある

。

We need to change the plan.

2

ichidan verb, transitive verb

reform; revise; amend

Used for deliberate improvement or correction of systems, rules, documents, or habits. Often implies making something better or more suitable.

法ほう律りつを変かえるには時じ間かんがかかる。
It takes time to amend a law.
彼かれは生せい活かつ習しゅう慣かんを変かえて健けん康こうになった。
He reformed his lifestyle and became healthy.

Written forms

変かえるUsage91%
Standard kanji spelling for the transitive verb 'to change something'.
かえるUsage9%

Kanji

変unusual, change, strange

Similar words

変かわる
Intransitive counterpart: 'to change' by itself, without a direct object. 変える is transitive and takes an object marked with を.
替かえる
Often used for replacing one thing with another of the same kind, such as exchanging money or swapping seats. 変える is broader and focuses on altering the thing itself.
代かえる
Used for substituting or acting on behalf of something else, e.g., 命に代えられない (cannot be exchanged for life). 変える does not carry this substitution nuance.

Etymology

The kanji 変 carries the core meaning of 'change' or 'unusual'. The verb かえる is a native Japanese transitive verb; its exact derivation is uncertain, but it is related to the intransitive かわる.