Refers to a narrow space or interval between two things, often with a nuance of being caught in between. Common in phrases like ～の狭間で.
I'm torn between my ideals and reality.
I could see the sunset through the gap between the buildings.
彼は伝統と革新の狭間で悩んでいる。
He is troubled, caught between tradition and innovation.
Refers to a narrow valley or gorge between mountains. Often used in place names.
山の狭間を川が流れている。
A river flows through the mountain gorge.
Historical/architectural term for a narrow opening in a castle wall for shooting arrows or guns.
城壁の狭間から敵を狙う。
Aim at the enemy through the loophole in the castle wall.
diagonal gap (Go); move in a diagonal gap
Go term for the space between two stones placed diagonally, or a move played into that space. Usually written in katakana as ハザマ.
See also: ハザマトビ
ハザマに打つ手が好手だった。
The move played in the diagonal gap was a good move.
The village lay quietly nestled in the valley between the mountains.
The soldiers fired arrows through the loopholes in the wall.
隙間 refers to a physical crack or small opening, while 狭間 often describes a more abstract or spatial interval between two larger things or forces.
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.
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.
elephant's move; diagonal jump
Standard kanji spelling for most senses.
Rarely used kanji form; easily confused with other readings.
Rarely used kanji form.
An old native noun, formerly はさま, for a narrow space between things or mountains. Voicing produced modern はざま; 狭間 and 迫間 are conventional spellings.