also: たにあい
noun
Geographical sense: a deep narrow valley between mountains. Both たにま and たにあい readings are used.
その村は深い谷間にあった。
The village was in a deep valley.
谷あいを流れる川の音が聞こえる。
I can hear the sound of the river flowing through the ravine.
noun
Only with reading たにま
Colloquial use, restricted to reading たにま. Refers to the cleavage between breasts.
彼女は谷間が強調されたドレスを着ていた。
She wore a dress that emphasized her cleavage.
noun
gap; blind spot; trough; lull
Only with reading たにま
Figurative use, restricted to reading たにま. Refers to a gap, blind spot, or low point in various contexts: economic trough, lull in activity, gap in work, or bottom of society.
景気の谷間で、多くの企業が苦しんでいる。
In the economic trough, many companies are struggling.
仕事の谷間をどう埋めるかが課題だ。
The challenge is how to fill the gaps in our work.
Alternate spelling for the reading たにあい, used for the geographical valley sense.
谷 is the general word for 'valley'. 谷間 emphasizes the space between mountains or a narrow ravine, and also has figurative and colloquial uses that 谷 lacks.
渓谷 is a more formal or literary term for a ravine or gorge, often with a river. 谷間 is broader and more common in everyday and figurative contexts.
Compound of 谷 (tani, 'valley') and 間 (ma, 'space, gap'). The reading たにあい is a less common variant using the kun'yomi of 間 (あい).