溝

• Reading: みぞ
• Romaji: mizo
• Kanji breakdown: 溝 (mizo/kou) — ditch, groove, gap
• Pronunciation: /mi.zo/

Meaning

Ditch; drain; gutter; trench. Also figuratively, a gap or rift between people.

A noun with both physical and figurative meanings. Physically refers to narrow channels for water drainage along roads or in fields. Figuratively used to describe an emotional or ideological gap between people, as in 溝が深まる (the rift deepens) or 溝を埋める (to bridge the gap). The figurative usage is very common at N2 level.

Examples

1. 道路の溝にはまって自転車のタイヤがパンクした。 My bicycle tire got a flat after getting caught in a road gutter.
2. 二人の間にはいつの間にか深い溝ができていた。 Before I knew it, a deep rift had formed between the two of them.
3. 世代間の溝を埋める努力が求められている。 Efforts to bridge the generational gap are being called for.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, relationships, society, infrastructure

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 溝 combines 氵(water radical) with 冓 (a phonetic element). Originally referred to man-made water channels for irrigation and drainage, later extending to figurative gaps and divisions.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal