勾配(こうばい)

こうばい
noun
slope; gradient; incline
geographyscience
1. slope; gradient; incline
The degree of slant of a road, roof, railway, or line on a graph, or a slope itself.
急(きゅう)な勾配(こうばい)を登(のぼ)る。
To climb a steep slope.
この屋根(やね)は勾配(こうばい)がゆるい。
This roof has a gentle pitch.
登山(とざん)鉄道(てつどう)は、急(きゅう)な勾配(こうばい)でも走(はし)れるように特別(とくべつ)な仕組(しく)みになっている。
Mountain railways have special mechanisms so that they can run even on steep gradients.

A technical word used of roads, railways, roofs, and graphs; in casual speech 坂(さか) or 傾(かたむ)き is more usual. Not to be confused with its homophone 購買(こうばい) (purchasing).

Common collocations

  • 急(きゅう)な / ゆるい勾配(こうばい): steep / gentle slope
  • 勾配(こうばい)をつける: to give a slope (to a roof, a drain)
  • 上(のぼ)り勾配(こうばい) / 下(くだ)り勾配(こうばい): upgrade / downgrade

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 傾斜(けいしゃ) (inclination, tilt)
Compare: 坂(さか) (slope, hill)
Compare: 傾(かたむ)き (tilt)
general
Added 2026.10.3 16:34 · Revised 2026.10.12 4:54
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