間隙

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 間隙 is a noun read かんげき, meaning a physical gap or a figurative opening in a defense.
• Basic usage: Use 間隙から for air entering through a gap and 間隙を突く for exploiting an opening.
  • 古い窓枠の間隙から冷たい風が入ってきた。 describes cold air entering through a gap in an old window frame; 相手の守備の間隙を突いて、選手がゴール前へ走り込んだ。 describes a player exploiting a defensive opening and running toward the goal.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 間隙から
  • から marks the gap as the point from which the air enters.
• 間隙を突く
  • を突く forms the expression for identifying and exploiting an opening.
• Physical and figurative gaps
  • It is a physical space in the window frame and a weak point in the defense, so context selects the sense.