阂 (hé) - to separate & to obstruct

阂Tone 2

hé ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

阂 · hé

to separate;

to obstruct;

to hinder;

barrier;

estrangement

to separateto obstructto hinder

Usage highlights

generation gaplanguage barriercultural estrangementemotional barriercommunication obstacleremove barriers

Synonyms

  • 隔— to separate; to partition
  • 阻— to obstruct; to hinder
  • 碍— to obstruct; to hinder

Antonyms

  • 通— to connect; to communicate
  • 融— to blend; to harmonize
  • 合— to combine; to unite

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • There is a generation gap between us (我们之间有代阂).
  • Language barriers hinder communication (语言阂阻碍沟通).
  • Cultural differences create estrangement (文化差异造成隔阂).
  • Misunderstandings create barriers between people (误解造成人际隔阂).

Collocations

  • generation gap(代阂)
  • language barrier(语言阂)
  • cultural estrangement(文化隔阂)
  • emotional barrier(情感隔阂)
  • communication obstacle(沟通隔阂)
  • remove barriers(消除隔阂)

Idioms

  • No estrangement between close friends(亲密无阂)
  • Break down barriers and build bridges(破除隔阂，搭建桥梁)
  • Emotional barriers hard to overcome(情感受阂难消)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally meant a door threshold or barrier, extended to metaphorical barriers in relationships.
  • Often used in psychological and sociological contexts to describe interpersonal or intergenerational gaps.
  • Reflects the Chinese cultural emphasis on harmony and smooth relationships, where barriers are seen as undesirable.

FAQ