I put a cover over the bicycle to protect it from the rain.
I put a cover over the car.
The darkness of night shrouded the town.
When they removed the cover from the statue, a beautiful face appeared.
We covered the furniture in preparation for the move.
カバー is a loanword typically used for protective or decorative covers on modern objects, while 覆い is the broader, more traditional Japanese term for any covering.
覆い is a broader word for anything laid over something to cover or hide it, while 蓋 specifically means a fitted lid or cap.
蓋 refers specifically to a lid or cap that closes a container, whereas 覆い is a general covering that can drape over or hide something without sealing it.
counter for thin, flat objects; sheet; plate; coin · serving of soba; portion of gyōza · sumo rank position; wrestler at a given rank · field; rice paddy plot · palanquin bearer
earflaps; earmuffs
kai-awase; Heian-period shell-matching game
rain cover; tarpaulin; awning
cover up; conceal; hide from view
cover completely; envelop; wrap around
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency news and common usage.
Alternate kanji form; less common but still encountered.
Rare kanji variant; mostly in older or literary texts.
Rare kanji variant; mostly in older or literary texts.
Derived from the verb 覆う (おおう, 'to cover'). The noun form 覆い is the continuative form (連用形) of the verb, used as a noun.