側溝

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 側溝 (そっこう) is a drainage channel along a road or site boundary. It appears as an object maintained and as a channel that becomes blocked.
• Basic usage: A roadside drain is cleaned for rainwater flow; leaves clog another drain and water spills over.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Maintenance preserving drainage and blockage causing overflow
  • 側溝を掃除する makes the drain an object of maintenance, while 側溝が詰まる makes it the subject of a state change. Its location differs from a roof gutter.