断層(だんそう)

だんそう
noun
fault (geological), gap
1. fault (geological)
A fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock that have moved relative to each other.
活断層(かつだんそう)の上(うえ)に建物(たてもの)を建(た)てるのは危険(きけん)だ。
It's dangerous to build structures on top of an active fault.
断層(だんそう)がずれて地震(じしん)が発生(はっせい)した。
An earthquake occurred when the fault slipped.
2. gap, discontinuity
A significant gap or break between groups, generations, or concepts.
世代間(せだいかん)の断層(だんそう)が広(ひろ)がっている。
The generational gap is widening.

USAGE: In Japan, 断層(だんそう) is an important term due to the country's seismic activity. Many major earthquakes are caused by fault movements.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 断層(だんそう)がずれる (a fault slips)
  • 活断層(かつだんそう) (active fault)
  • 断層帯(だんそうたい) (fault zone)
  • 断層線(だんそうせん) (fault line)

TYPES OF FAULTS:

  • 正断層(せいだんそう) - normal fault
  • 逆断層(ぎゃくだんそう) - reverse fault
  • 横ずれ断層(よこずれだんそう) - strike-slip fault

FIGURATIVE USAGE: 断層(だんそう) is commonly used figuratively to describe gaps between generations (世代間(せだいかん)の断層(だんそう)), social classes, or cultural values.

RELATED TO EARTHQUAKES: Japan has many 活断層(かつだんそう) (active faults), and the study of faults is crucial for earthquake preparedness.

Related Words

Related: 地層(ちそう) (stratum)
general
Added 2026.1.17 20:31 · Revised 2026.1.19 21:17
06000/06367_dansou