ditch

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 溝 has 13 strokes and denotes a ditch or a rift.
• Basic usage: 溝 is read みぞ, and 側溝 is read そっこう.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A ditch and a rift in a relationship
  • 道路脇の溝 is a roadside ditch.
  • 二人の間に深い溝ができた figuratively describes a deep rift developing between two people because of disagreement.
• Reading the word for a roadside drain
  • 側溝 refers to a roadside drain and is read そっこう, with a small っ.