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间隙 (jiàn xì) — gap, crack (space between objects); interval, break (time between events)

Definition

间隙 is a more formal/written word for a gap or interval. For a physical gap, 间隙 is narrower than 空隙; for a pause in time, prefer 期间 or 时段 to specify a named period.

noun
gapcrack (space between objects)intervalbreak (time between events)

Examples

  • 间隙，。
    Liǎng shàn mén de jiàn xì tài dà, lěng fēng dōu chuī jìn lái le.
    The gap between the two doors is too big; cold wind is blowing in.
  • 间隙。
    Tā zài huì yì jiàn xì jiē le yí gè zhòng yào de diàn huà.
    He took an important phone call during the break in the meeting.
  • 间隙。
    Jī huì wǎng wǎng cáng zài duǎn zàn de jiàn xì zhōng.
    Opportunities are often hidden in brief intervals.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

间jiāngap
隙xìcrack

间 and 隙 both mean a gap, so together they refer to a small interval or opening.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 间 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⻖Written in full as阜fùmound
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡭴
𡭴𡭴隙
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 隙, the left ⻖ is the mound form 阜, while 𡭴 gives the sound; the whole shows a hole or gap in a wall.

Open 隙 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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