separate

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is かく, and the kun readings are へだてる and へだたる. It has 13 strokes. It appears in words for separating things and things being apart.
• Basic usage: 隔てる is read へだてる and 隔たる is read へだたる.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 隔てる / 隔たる
  • 隔てる means to separate or to divide and is read へだてる. It describes a wall or passage of time separating two things.
  • 二つの部屋を薄い壁が隔てている。 means “A thin wall separates the two rooms.”
  • 隔たる means to be separated or to differ and is read へだたる. It describes two things, such as villages or ages, being separated or differing.
  • 二つの村は高い山を挟んで隔たっている。 means “The two villages are separated by a high mountain.”