also: せきへき
noun
stone wall; dry stone wall
Refers to a wall built from stones, often without mortar (dry wall). Common in traditional Japanese architecture and fortifications.
城の周りには高い石壁が築かれていた。
A high stone wall was built around the castle.
庭に石壁を作って花壇を囲
We built a stone wall in the garden to enclose the flower bed.
noun
rocky cliff; stone precipice
Describes a steep natural rock face or cliff. Less common than sense 1, and may be encountered in descriptive or literary contexts.
登山道の横には切り立った石壁がそびえていた。
A sheer rocky cliff rose beside the mountain trail.
岩壁 specifically refers to a rock face or cliff, often in climbing contexts, while 石壁 can mean either a man-made stone wall or a natural rocky cliff.
石垣 is a stone fence or retaining wall, typically built with stacked stones, whereas 石壁 is a broader term for any stone wall, including vertical surfaces.
Compound of 石 (stone) and 壁 (wall). The reading いしかべ uses kun'yomi for both characters, while せきへき uses on'yomi. The word straightforwardly describes a wall made of stone or a natural stone cliff.