How to say "barrier" in Japanese

• バリアCommon
  nounThe loanword, used for a barrier that blocks or protects — a protective wall or bulwark. It fits concrete blocking or shielding barriers; a figurative difficulty or hurdle takes a different word.
• 関せきCommon
  noun, noun (suffix)A barrier in the concrete sense of a gate or checkpoint on a road, controlling who passes. For the abstract sense of 'barrier' as an obstacle, this is seldom the word you want.
• 難関なんかんCommon
  nounA figurative barrier: a difficulty or hurdle standing in one's way and hard to get past. Typical contexts include a notoriously difficult examination or challenge that blocks progress.
  初はじめの一いち歩ほが唯一ゆいいつの難関なんかん。↗

  The first step is the hardest.
• 関門かんもんCommon
  nounA barrier in the sense of a checkpoint or gateway — a controlled point of entry or passage. It is also used figuratively for a hurdle one must get through to advance.
  これ以上いじょうここでもたついてると、後うしろの第だい二に関門かんもんからも増援ぞうえんが来きて、挟撃きょうげきされるかも知しれねーんだぜ。↗

  If we hang around here any longer, there could be reinforcements coming from the second gate to take us in a pincer movement!
• 大台おおだいCommon
  nounNot a physical barrier at all: a major mark or level, typically a round number in prices, statistics, or records, treated as a barrier to break through or reach.

Use 「バリア」 for a barrier that blocks or protects, 関 and 関門 for gates or checkpoints, 難関 for a figurative hurdle or difficulty, and 大台 only for a major numerical level treated as a barrier.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• バリアbarrier
• 関せきbarrier
• 難関なんかんbarrier
• 関門かんもんbarrier
• 大台おおだい(major) mark
• 堰せきdam
• 遮断機しゃだんき(railway) crossing gate
• 障害しょうがいobstacle
• 関かんbarrier
• 関所せきしょbarrier
• 防壁ぼうへきprotective wall
• 遮断壁しゃだんぺきbulkhead
• 障礙しょうげobstacle
• 壁かべbarrier
• 垣かきbarrier
• 障壁しょうへきobstacle
• 車止めくるまどめbollard (for preventing vehicle access)
• 結界けっかいbarrier