障しょう壁へき

しょ

う

へ

き

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

enclosing wall; fence; barrier (physical)

Refers to a physical wall, fence, or barrier that encloses or separates an area. Often used in architectural or historical contexts.

城しろの周まわりには高たかい障しょう壁へきが築きずかれていた。
A high enclosing wall was built around the castle.
工こう事じ現げん場ばの障しょう壁へきに注ちゅう意いしてください。
Please be careful of the barrier at the construction site.

2

obstacle; barrier (figurative); hurdle

Used for abstract obstacles or impediments, such as social, economic, or communication barriers.

言こと葉ばの障しょう壁へきが国こく際さい交こう流りゅうの妨さまたげになる。
Language barriers hinder international exchange.
両りょう者しゃの間あいだには大おおきな心しん理り的てき障しょう壁へきがある。
There is a huge psychological barrier between the two parties.

See all 14 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の障しょう壁へきを取とり除のぞくto remove the barrier to something
貿ぼう易えきの障しょう壁へきを取とり除のぞくために交こう渉しょうが続つづけられている。
Negotiations continue in order to remove the barriers to trade.
〈場ば所しょ〉を障しょう壁へきで囲かこむto enclose a place with a wall/barrier
その庭にわは高たかい障しょう壁へきで囲かこまれている。
That garden is enclosed by a high wall.
障しょう壁へきを乗のり越こえるto overcome a barrier
言こと葉ばの障しょう壁へきを乗のり越こえて友ゆう情じょうを築きずいた。
They overcame the language barrier and built a friendship.
〈事こと〉が障しょう壁へきになるfor something to become an obstacle
文ぶん化かの違ちがいが両りょう国こくの理り解かいの障しょう壁へきになっている。
The cultural differences have become a barrier to mutual understanding between the two countries.

Kanji

障hinder, hurt, harm
壁wall, lining (stomach), fence
牆fence, hedge, wall
墻fence, hedge

Related words

壁かべN4sense 1
壁 is the plain, everyday word for a wall, while 障壁 stresses the function of dividing or blocking and is used more often in figurative or formal contexts.
障しょう害がいN3sense 2
障害 is a broad word for any obstacle or hindrance (including disabilities), whereas 障壁 specifically implies something that divides two sides or blocks passage.
妨さまたげ sense 2
妨げ focuses on something that hinders or delays an action, while 障壁 is a more solid, wall-like barrier that separates or blocks entirely.
バリア
障壁 is a more formal, often literary word for a wall or barrier, while バリア is a casual loanword used in everyday and technical contexts.
垣かき根ねN2
障壁 is a more formal, abstract word for a barrier between people or groups, while 垣根 keeps a softer, more everyday image drawn from the physical fence.

Word family

障しょう壁へき画が
paintings on room partitions; sliding-door paintings; screen paintings
参さん入にゅう障しょう壁へき
barriers to entry
貿ぼう易えき障しょう壁へき
trade barrier
関かん税ぜい障しょう壁へき
tariff barrier

Written forms

障しょう壁へきUsage97%
Standard modern spelling for both physical and figurative barriers.
牆しょう壁へきUsage3%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 牆 is a variant of 障.
墻しょう壁へきUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 墻 is a variant of 障.

Etymology

Compound of 障 (しょう, 'to block, hinder') and 壁 (へき, 'wall'). The kanji 障 suggests obstruction, giving the word its dual physical and figurative sense of a barrier.