渓谷(けいこく)

けいこく
noun
valley, gorge, ravine
geography
1. valley, gorge, ravine
A deep, narrow valley with steep sides, typically formed by river erosion. Often a scenic natural feature.
美(うつく)しい渓谷(けいこく)を歩(ある)く。
To walk through a beautiful gorge.
Many people visit the gorge during autumn foliage season.
This gorge was carved out by a river eroding rock over tens of thousands of years.

Usage

Japan has many famous 渓谷(けいこく), popular as destinations for hiking and autumn leaf viewing (紅葉狩(もみじが)り).

Similar words

  • 谷(たに): any valley, the everyday word; 渓谷(けいこく) is a narrow, steep-sided valley with a river at the bottom
  • 峡谷(きょうこく): a canyon, deeper and sheer-walled

Common collocations

  • 渓谷(けいこく)沿(ぞ)い: along the gorge
  • 渓谷(けいこく)ハイキング: gorge hiking