食い違う

• Reading: くいちがう
• Romaji: kuichigau
• Kanji breakdown: 食 (shoku/ku) — eat, bite; 違 (i/chiga) — differ, wrong
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.i.t͡ɕi.ɡa.ɯ/

Meaning

To not match; to disagree; to conflict. Used when two things fail to align properly.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb describing a discrepancy or mismatch between two things. Often used for conflicting testimonies, misaligned opinions, or things that do not mesh. The literal image is of biting (食い) in different directions (違う).

Examples

1. 二人の証言が食い違っている。 The two witnesses' testimonies don't match.
2. 計画と実際の結果が大きく食い違った。 The plan and the actual results were way off.
3. 意見が食い違ったまま会議が終わった。 The meeting ended with opinions still at odds.

Usage Guide

Context: discussion, investigation, reporting

Tone: objective

Origin & History

Compound of 食い (biting, from 食う) and 違う (to differ). The image is of interlocking teeth or gears that do not mesh properly, causing friction or misalignment.

Cultural Context

Era: Early Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal