亀裂、裂け目、不和
解説 Definition
地面や物体にできる割れ目や裂け目を指すほか、人間関係や組織の間に生じた深い不和や溝も表す名詞。地質学では地殻の割れ目や谷を指し、比喩的には関係の断絶や対立の広がりを述べるときにも使われる。
A rift is a serious split or disagreement between people, groups, or ideas. It can also mean a crack or opening in something physical, such as rock, land, or ice. It often suggests a division that has become deep or difficult to repair.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
rift は「ぱっくり割れて、その後に埋まらない溝が残る」とイメージすると覚えやすい。石や地面なら裂け目、人間関係なら不和へそのまま広がる。split が「分かれる動作」、crack が「ひび」に近いのに対し、rift はもっと大きく深い「隔たり」寄り。a rift in the earth, a rift between the two countries のように、物理的な割れ目と比喩的な対立を同じ絵で結ぶと定着しやすい。deep rift, growing rift も頻出。
Picture a deep split that leaves a gap behind. That image works both for land and for human relationships, which is why `rift` can describe both a physical break and serious disagreement. Common pairs like `deep rift` and `growing rift` make the word easier to remember.
例文
The earthquake created a deep rift in the ground.
地震で地面に深い亀裂ができました。
The argument caused a rift between the two friends.
その口論は二人の友人の間に深い溝を生みました。
The region is famous for its dramatic rift valley.
その地域は雄大な地溝谷で有名です。
rift の類義語・関連語
rift の語源・成り立ち Etymology
rift は古ノルド語 ript『裂け目』に由来し、動詞 rífa『引き裂く』と同じ北ゲルマン系の語族です。rive や riven も同根で、もともと『力をかけて裂いたあとにできる割れ目』という感覚なので、地面の裂け目にも人間関係の亀裂にも使えるのです。
Rift comes from Old Norse ript, meaning "crack" or "split," and is related to the verb rifa, "to tear." It belongs to the same Germanic family as English rive and riven. The early sense was a split made by tearing, which later extended from physical cracks to divisions in relationships or society.
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