I saw this translated in the first episode of FLCL as "It's wrong.", but
checking the translation, I get "Different." Could someone clear this up?
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2012-05-25T00:01:43.737
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translation nuances meaning
What does ちがいます。 mean?
It means both, depending on context. Remember that translation between two
languages is rarely one to one.
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2012-05-25T00:23:48.470
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Based on the anime that I've seen, when a character uses ちがいます in essence what
they are saying (in a nutshell) is: `No, what you said is different from what
I said/thought/felt, therefore it is wrong/not correct.`

Normally, this is just expressed/translated as: You're wrong, He's wrong,
She's wrong, or It's wrong. Depending on the context.
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2012-05-25T01:02:58.870
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2012-05-26T20:11:52.747
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By saying `ちがいます` the speaker intends to convey:

> "The situation/case/concept that I think you are thinking of is
> **different** from the situation/case/concept I believe I am currently
> experiencing".

This underlying meaning can be translated to a variety of English expressions
not limited to "no" or "you're/(s)he's/it's/that's wrong".
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2012-05-25T05:14:00.830
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> 私 の 観点 は あなた の と は 違います。  
>  _watashi no kanten wa anata no to wa chigaimasu._  
>  My point of view and (also) yours are not the same.
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2016-02-07T22:43:00.090
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This is interesting. 違う was originally written as 違ふ. And, in 10th century,
the meaning was slightly different. The original meaning was

> 互いに交差したり行き違ったりする (Two things intersect with each other. Two people try to go
> to each other's place and fail to meet.)
> <http://kobun.weblio.jp/content/%E3%81%A1%E3%81%8C%E3%81%B5>

There were several derived meanings such as "fail to meet. avoid to meet. go
to a wrong direction. make something different. change something. disobey.
being different."

* * *

According to this dictionary, デジタル大辞泉
<https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%81%95%E3%81%86-559103> ,

the first meaning is still used in compound verbs such as

> 行き違う (Two people try to go to each other's place and fail to meet.)
>
> すれ違う (pass each other.)

But, they are now the fifth meaning on 大辞林.

Other meanings are follows.

1 . a "being different"

  * 習慣が違う。 (The customs are different.)

1 . b "There is a gap. being better comparing to others."

  * 格が違う。 (being in a better class.)

2 . "What someone expected or thought is different from the current
situation."

  * 話が違う。 (The things you told me were different from the current situation.)
  * 約束と違う。 (The promise is not kept.)

3 . "being wrong."

  * 計算が違う。 (The calculation is wrong.)

4 . "Not in the right position."

  * 筋が違う。 (getting a crick. (The muscle is not in the right position.))
  * 気が違う。 (being mad. (The mind is not in the right position.))

It seems that their basic idea is "fail to meet."

* * *

Back to the original question, it means no. And,「いいえ、違います。」 is one of the most
appropriate way (in elementary school) to answer no.

I think 違う (違います ちゃう ちげー) are used more than いいえ to say no.
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2016-02-08T12:46:59.230
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