Figurative use, restricted to reading たにま. Refers to a gap, blind spot, or low point in various contexts: economic trough, lull in activity, gap in work, or bottom of society.

景けい気きの谷たに間まで、多おおくの企き業ぎょうが苦くるしんでいる。
In the economic trough, many companies are struggling.
仕し事ごとの谷たに間まをどう埋うめるかが課か題だいだ。
The challenge is how to fill the gaps in our work.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉の谷たに間まにあるto lie in a valley between (mountains/places)
この村むらは山やま々やまの谷たに間まにある。
This village lies in a valley between the mountains.
谷たに間まが見みえるcleavage is visible
そのドレスは襟えりが深ふかく、谷たに間まが見みえる。
That dress has a deep neckline, so her cleavage shows.
〈事こと〉の谷たに間まa lull or trough in (something, e.g. business, generations)
景けい気きの谷たに間まで、多おおくの会かい社しゃが苦くるしんでいる。
In this economic trough, many companies are struggling.

Kanji

谷valley
間interval, space

Related words

谷たにN3sense 1
谷 is the plain, general word for 'valley', while 谷間 emphasizes the narrow gap between mountains and also carries figurative and colloquial senses that 谷 lacks.
渓けい谷こく sense 1
渓谷 is a formal, literary term for a river gorge, whereas 谷間 is the everyday word and can also mean cleavage or a figurative gap.
狭間はざま
谷間 is the common everyday word for a valley, whereas 狭間 in this sense is more literary and often appears in place names.

Don't confuse with

狭間はざま sense 3
狭間 means a narrow gap between two things (often abstract, like a border between eras), while 谷間 more specifically evokes a valley shape or a dip/trough, so learners can mix them up in figurative use.
谷たに川がわ
谷間 means the valley or gap between mountains, while 谷川 is the stream flowing through such a valley.

Word family

胸むねの谷たに間ま
cleavage (between breasts)

Built from

谷たに+間ま

Written forms

谷間Usage96%
- たにま
  Standard kanji spelling for the reading たにま. High-frequency news word.
- たにあい
谷たにあい

Etymology

Compound of 谷 (tani, 'valley') and 間 (ma, 'space, gap'). The reading たにあい is a less common variant using the kun'yomi of 間 (あい).

Usage4%

Alternate spelling for the reading たにあい, used for the geographical valley sense.

たにあい