一いち隅ぐう

also: ひとすみ

い

ち

ぐ

う

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

noun

corner; nook

Often used in the phrase 一隅を照らす (to shine a light in one corner, i.e., to do one's part quietly). Can refer to a physical corner or a small, secluded place.

彼かれは部屋へやの一いち隅ぐうで静しずかに本ほんを読よんでいた。
He was quietly reading a book in a corner of the room.
「一いち隅ぐうを照てらす」という言こと葉ばが好すきだ。
I like the phrase 'to shine a light in one corner.'

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉の一いち隅ぐうに〈物もの〉があるthere is something in a corner of a place
公こう園えんの一いち隅ぐうに小ちいさな花か壇だんがある。
There is a small flower bed in a corner of the park.
〈場ば所しょ〉の一いち隅ぐうを占しめるto occupy a corner of a place
古ふるい本ほん棚だなが部屋へやの一いち隅ぐうを占しめている。
An old bookshelf occupies a corner of the room.
世せ界かいの一いち隅ぐうでin a remote corner of the world (figurative)
彼かれは世せ界かいの一いち隅ぐうで静しずかに暮くらしている。
He lives quietly in a corner of the world.

Kanji

一one, one radical (no.1)
隅corner, nook

Related words

隅すみN4
隅 is the common, everyday word for a corner or nook, while 一隅 is a more literary term often implying a single, easily overlooked corner.
片かた隅すみ
片隅 is a natural, conversational word for a corner or nook of a place, whereas 一隅 sounds more formal or literary and is often used figuratively.

Opposites

中ちゅう央おうN3
中央 means the center of a place, the spatial opposite of 一隅, which means an out-of-the-way corner.

Don't confuse with

一いっ角かく
一角 usually means 'a part or section' of something (as in 氷山の一角, the tip of the iceberg), while 一隅 specifically means a physical corner or secluded spot.

Counted with

箇か所しょN2
箇所 is the counter used when counting 一隅 as a distinct spot or section within a larger place.

Written forms

一隅Usage100%
- いちぐう
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading いちぐう is the most common.
- ひとすみ
  Rare reading; ひとすみ is occasionally used but いちぐう is strongly preferred.
ひとすみ

Etymology

Compound of 一 (one) and 隅 (corner). The reading いちぐう is the standard Sino-Japanese reading; ひとすみ is a mixed reading (kun'yomi for 隅) that is now rare.