崖(がけ)

がけ
noun
cliff; precipice
1. cliff; precipice
A steep rock face, especially at the edge of the sea or a mountain.
崖(がけ)から落(お)ちそうになった。
I almost fell off the cliff.
崖(がけ)の上(うえ)からの景色(けしき)は絶景(ぜっけい)だった。
The view from the top of the cliff was spectacular.
崖崩(がけくず)れに注意(ちゅうい)してください。
Please be careful of landslides.

崖(がけ) refers to a steep, often vertical rock face — a cliff or precipice. It can describe coastal cliffs, mountain faces, or any steep drop-off.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 崖(がけ)っぷち: cliff edge, brink
  • 崖崩(がけくず)れ: cliff collapse, landslide
  • 崖(がけ)の上(うえ): top of a cliff
  • 崖(がけ)から落(お)ちる: to fall from a cliff

FIGURATIVE USE:
崖(がけ)っぷち is very commonly used figuratively to mean 'on the brink' or 'in a desperate situation': 崖(がけ)っぷちに立(た)たされる (to be driven to the edge). Often seen in sports and business contexts.

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 断崖(だんがい): precipice, sheer cliff (more literary)
  • 絶壁(ぜっぺき): sheer cliff, precipice (emphasizes vertical drop)

Related Words

Synonym: 断崖(だんがい) (sheer cliff (literary))
Synonym: 絶壁(ぜっぺき) (precipice)
general
Added 2026.1.16 14:48 · Revised 2026.4.13 12:13
05000/05391_gake