narrow path; defile
Refers to a physically narrow or constricted passage, especially in geographical or military contexts. Somewhat literary.
The mountain road continues as a narrow path, making it difficult for cars to pass each other.
Figurative use for a situation where progress is blocked or severely restricted, such as in traffic, logistics, or negotiations.
A new road was built to eliminate the bottleneck in logistics.
The negotiations reached an impasse and no progress was seen.
Standard kanji spelling. 隘 is a non-jōyō kanji, but the compound is well-established.
Search-only form mixing kana and kanji; not a standard written variant.
Compound of 隘 (narrow, confined) and 路 (path, road). The figurative sense developed from the literal meaning of a narrow passage that restricts flow.