noun
Literary term for a mountain stream or the valley through which it flows. Rare in everyday speech; more common words are 谷川 (たにがわ) for 'mountain stream' and 谷 (たに) for 'valley'.
詩の中で、渓澗のせせらぎが美しく描かれている。
In the poem, the babbling of the mountain stream is beautifully depicted.
その古い地図には、深い渓澗が記されていた。
On that old map, a deep valley was marked.
Compound of 渓 (mountain stream) and 澗 (ravine). Both kanji are relatively rare and contribute to the word's literary feel. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.