ひび
ひび
noun
crack; fissure
1.
crack; fissure; crevice
A thin line of breakage on a hard surface such as glass, ceramic, bone, or a wall. The object is damaged but not fully broken apart.
コップにひびが入った。
A crack formed in the glass.
壁のひびを修理してもらった。
I had the crack in the wall repaired.
転んで骨にひびが入ってしまった。
I fell and got a hairline fracture in my bone.
2.
rift; strain (in a relationship)
A figurative crack in a relationship or bond between people. Describes a situation where trust or harmony is damaged, though the relationship has not completely ended.
二人の友情にひびが入った。
A rift formed in their friendship.
些細な誤解が積み重なり、夫婦の関係にひびが入り始めた。
Small misunderstandings piled up, and cracks began to form in the couple's relationship.
USAGE:
ひび is most commonly used in the pattern ひびが入る (a crack forms). It describes damage that has not yet resulted in a full break — the object or relationship is weakened but still intact. Sometimes written in kanji as 罅, but the kana form is far more common.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ひびが入る (a crack forms; to crack)
- ひびが入った皿 (a cracked plate)
- ひびを修理する (to repair a crack)
- 骨にひびが入る (to get a hairline fracture)
- 関係にひびが入る (a rift forms in a relationship)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- ひび: crack (thin line of damage, not fully broken)
- 割れ目: split, seam (a wider opening or gap)
- 亀裂: crack, fissure (more formal; often used figuratively for organizations or alliances)