一いち隅ぐう

also: ひとすみ

い

ち

ぐ

う

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

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.