noun
Refers to a physical crack or fissure in a surface, material, or the ground, as well as a figurative rift in relationships or organizations.
地震で壁に亀裂が入った。
The earthquake caused a crack in the wall.
両国の関係に深い亀裂が生じた。
A deep rift developed in the relations between the two countries.
ひび refers to a fine crack or fissure, often in glass or ceramics, and is more specific to surface-level damage, while 亀裂 can be a larger or deeper crack and is also used figuratively.
割れ目 is a more general term for a crack, split, or chasm, often implying a clean break or opening, whereas 亀裂 often suggests a jagged or developing crack.
Compound of 亀 (turtle shell, also used for cracks in divination) and 裂 (split, tear). The combination suggests a crack resembling those on a turtle shell or those formed during ancient shell-based divination.