隙
crevice, fissure, discord, opportunity, leisure
Readings
On'yomi
- ゲキ
- キャク
- ケキ
Kun'yomi
- すき
- す.く
- す.かす
- ひま
Meaning
隙 centers on a narrow opening or gap: a physical crevice or fissure, a break in harmony (discord), or a gap in time that creates opportunity or leisure.
Most common words using 隙
20 of 33- 隙間すきまN2
gap; opening; aperture; crevice; crack; chink; space
- 隙すきN1
gap; opening; room; space
- 間隙かんげき
gap
- 空隙くうげき
vacant space; aperture; gap; opening
- 隙間風すきまかぜ
draft; draught; cold air entering through the crack of a door or window
- シナプス間隙シナプスかんげき
synaptic cleft
- 一分の隙もないいちぶのすきもない
without any weak spot; watertight (e.g. reasoning); impeccable
- 填隙てんげき
caulking; calking
- 孔隙率こうげきりつ
porosity
- 寸隙すんげき
spare time; spare moment
- 油断も隙もないゆだんもすきもない
one must constantly be on one's guard with ...; one cannot be too careful of ...
- 潜在空隙せんざいくうげき
potential space
- 白駒の隙を過ぐるが如しはっくのげきをすぐるがごとし
time flies; like watching a white horse run by through a gap in the wall (Zhuangzi)
- 穴隙けつげき
crevice; aperture
- 細隙さいげき
slit; interstice; narrow aperture
- 罅隙かげき
crack; slit; crevice; crevasse
- 間隙比かんげきひ
void ratio
- 間隙率かんげきりつ
porosity
- 隙げき
gap; opening; space
- 隙ひま
gap; opening; space
Study
Etymology
隙 combines ⻖ (mound, hill) with a phonetic component that historically relates to a gap or crack. The exact development of the right side is uncertain, but the overall character expresses a narrow space or fissure.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side ⻖ suggests a steep hill or wall, and the right side looks like a small sun 日 peeking through a narrow crack above 小. Imagine a crevice in a cliff where sunlight slips through, creating a moment of leisure or an opportunity.
Reading mnemonic
For ゲキ, picture a gecko squeezing through a narrow crevice in a wall: gecko -> ゲキ, and the gecko finds an opportunity in the gap.