noun
Geological term for a fracture in rock layers where displacement has occurred.
この地域には活断層が走っている。
An active fault runs through this area.
noun
Figurative extension: a serious rift or disconnect between people, groups, or ideas, often implying a fundamental difference.
世代間の断層が深まっている。
The generation gap is deepening.
両者の意見には大きな断層がある。
There is a wide discrepancy between their opinions.