How to say "gap" in Japanese

• はざまCommon
  nounA narrow gap wedged between two larger things, such as rocks or buildings; figuratively, the squeezed position of being caught between two competing demands or sides.
• 間あいだJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounThe general word for the space or interval between two things, physical or temporal; use this when you simply mean 'the gap between A and B'.
  彼かれはメアリーとトムの間あいだに座すわった。↗

  He was sitting between Mary and Tom.
• 隙間すきまJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounA gap, crack or opening in physical things — the space left where two surfaces do not quite meet, such as a gap under a door or between floorboards.
  歯はが抜ぬけて隙間すきまが空あいていた。↗

  His teeth had gaps.
• 隙すきCommon
  nounMainly a figurative opening: an unguarded moment, a lapse in attention, or a chance to act; for a physical gap this is seldom the word you want — that is 隙間's role.
• ギャップCommon
  nounThe loanword, used for figurative gaps: a discrepancy or mismatch between two things, as between expectation and reality or between image and the actual person; not for physical cracks or openings.

Physical gaps and cracks take 隙間; the neutral space or interval between two things is 間; a narrow space wedged between things is 「はざま」; figurative openings are 隙, and figurative discrepancies 「ギャップ」.

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

• はざまgap
• 間あいだspace (between)
• 隙間すきまgap
• 隙すきgap
• ギャップgap
• ずれgap
• 切れ目きれめgap
• 格差かくさqualitative difference
• ひらきopening
• 空きあきspace
• 差異さいdifference
• 隔たりへだたりdistance
• 欠陥けっかんdefect
• 割れ目われめcrack
• 隙げきgap
• 間隙かんげきgap
• きれっとgap (in a mountain ridge)
• 闕所けっしょgap
• 空隙くうげきvacant space
• 空所くうしょblank
• 山峡さんきょうgorge
• 差し入れ口さしいれぐちopening (e.g. in a mailbox)
• 口くちopening
• 距離きょりdifference (e.g. in opinion)
• 幅はばgap
• 溝みぞgap (between people, countries, etc.)
• どぶgap (between cutting guides)
• 断層だんそうgap
• ブランクgap
• 絶え間たえまgap (e.g. in the clouds)
• 空白くうはくblank
• 落差らくさdifference
• 誤差ごさdiscrepancy
• 谷間たにまpart or place that has been left behind
• 空き間あきまgap (between two objects)
• 断絶だんぜつseverance (e.g. of relations)
• 中なかinterval
• 穴あなgap (left by a missing employee, team member, etc.)
• 飛躍ひやくleap (of logic)