Physical wall or partition in a building or room.
部屋の壁に絵をかけた。
I hung a picture on the wall of the room.
この壁は薄くて、隣の音がよく聞こえる。
This wall is thin, so I can often hear the neighbors.
Figurative barrier or obstacle that blocks progress or communication.
言葉の壁を乗り越えるのは大変だ。
Overcoming the language barrier is tough.
両者の間には高い壁がある。
There is a high wall between the two sides.
Chinese "Wall" constellation
Only with reading へき
Astronomy term; one of the 28 mansions in Chinese constellation system, read へき.
二十八宿の一つに「壁」がある。
One of the 28 mansions is 'Wall'.
wall of stones (in Go)
Only with reading かべ
Go term; a solid line of stones forming a wall-like shape.
黒が厚い壁を作った。
Black built a thick wall.
I hung a picture on the wall.
The plan ran into the obstacle of a lack of funds.
He overcame that barrier and succeeded.
He was leaning against the wall listening to the story.
The craftsman painted the wall white.
壁 is a literal wall used metaphorically for any barrier, whereas 難関 is a more formal term specifically for institutional or competitive hurdles.
壁 is the basic native word for a physical wall, while バリア often carries a protective or defensive nuance, even when metaphorical.
壁 (wall) is used metaphorically for a blocking obstacle you must break through, whereas ハードル suggests something you jump over one at a time.
壁 literally means a wall but is often used metaphorically for a barrier between people, much like the figurative sense of 隔て.
壁 is a general term for any wall, while 土塀 specifically refers to a freestanding wall made of earth or mud plaster.
close to the wall; alongside the wall
white plaster wall · tofu; bean curd
stone wall; dry stone wall · rocky cliff; stone precipice
kyokabe; Kyoto-style clay wall
mud wall; earthen wall
curtain separating central room from aisles (palatial-style architecture)
wall plaster; wall clay; wall mud
bullpen catcher · tank (MMORPG)
wall material; wall-finishing material · wallplate (mining)
wallboard; wall paneling; wall decoration
grass mixed with mud for wall construction · Hedera rhombea (species of ivy)
wall with no exposed pillars
gable wall
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the intended meaning is clear from context.