断層

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 断層, read だんそう, means a break along which rock layers have shifted, or a deep divide between people.
• Basic usage: It is used for displaced rock layers visible in a cliff or a divide in perceptions between generations.
  • 崖の地層に大きな断層が見える。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Layers compared with 地層
  • 地層 refers to the layers themselves, while 断層 refers to a break where those layers have been displaced.