noun
A physical barrier or enclosure, often made of wood, bamboo, or plants, used around houses, gardens, or fields.
庭の周りに竹の垣を巡らせた。
We put a bamboo fence around the garden.
生け垣が道路との境になっている。
The hedge forms a boundary with the road.
noun
Figurative use for something that separates or obstructs, such as emotional distance, social barriers, or obstacles.
心の垣を取り払って話し合おう。
Let's talk openly and break down the walls between us.
言葉の垣がコミュニケーションを難しくしている。
The language barrier makes communication difficult.
Rarely used kanji form.
The kanji 垣 is composed of 土 (earth) and 亘 (extend), suggesting an earthen or extended barrier. The word かき is native Japanese and its exact derivation is uncertain, but it has long referred to fences and enclosures.