谷(たに)

たに

noun

valley, ravine

1. valley

A low area between hills or mountains.

谷(たに)を下(くだ)る。

To go down into the valley.

谷(たに)に川(かわ)が流(なが)れている。

A river flows through the valley.

人生(じんせい)は山(やま)あり谷(たに)ありだ。

Life has its ups and downs.

2. ravine, gorge

A deep narrow valley.

深(ふか)い谷(たに)に落(お)ちた。

I fell into a deep ravine.

谷底(たにそこ)まで見(み)えないほど深(ふか)い。

It's so deep you can't see the bottom of the gorge.

橋(はし)が谷(たに)の上(うえ)にかかっている。

A bridge spans the ravine.

谷(たに) means valley—a low area of land between hills or mountains, often with a river.

Pronunciation

谷(たに): standard reading
谷(や)/谷(やつ): in place names (渋谷(しぶや), 四谷(よつや))

Common expressions

谷(たに)を下(くだ)る: to go down into the valley
谷(たに)を越(こ)える: to cross a valley
谷(たに)に落(お)ちる: to fall into a ravine

Compounds

谷間(たにま): valley, ravine; cleavage
谷底(たにそこ): bottom of a valley
渓谷(けいこく): gorge, ravine
峡谷(きょうこく): canyon

Idiomatic

山(やま)あり谷(たに)あり: ups and downs (in life)
谷間(たにま)の時期(じき): a slump period

Related Words

Related: 盆地(ぼんち) (basin (broader, surrounded by mountains))

Compare: 尾根(おね) (ridge, mountain ridge)

general

Added 2026.1.9 21:11 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:05

02000/02223_tani