1.
among the mountains, mountain area, mountainous region
An area surrounded by or nestled between mountains. Used to describe remote, rural locations in mountainous terrain.
山間の村で育った。
I grew up in a mountain village.
山間部では冬の積雪が多い。
Snowfall is heavy in winter in mountainous areas.
山間の温泉地まで車で三時間かかった。
It took three hours by car to reach the hot spring resort in the mountains.
USAGE:
Often used with 部 as 山間部 (mountainous area/region), especially in news, weather forecasts, and geographic descriptions. Evokes remoteness and rural settings.
READING NOTE:
Also read as やまあい, which has the same meaning but a more colloquial, native-Japanese feel. The Sino-Japanese reading さんかん is more common in formal and written contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 山間部: mountainous area
- 山間の村: mountain village
- 山間の集落: mountain settlement
- 山間地: mountainous district