When used in a phrase like "I'm from the Valley", the Valley usually refers to the beautiful San Fernando Valley, a gi-normous suburb to the north of Los Angeles. It's main claim to fame is flatness, straight streets, shopping malls, and Valley Girls.

All the street names mentioned in Tom Petty's song "Free Fallin'" are from the Valley.

KANJI: KOKU (valley, gorge, dale, rivine)

ASCII Art Representation:

             ,%%%%%%        "%%%,
            ,%%%%%"           ""%%%,,
       ,%%%%"        ,%%%,           "%%%%
    ,,%%%%"         ,%%%%%,
  %%%%""           ,%%%""%%%,
                 ,%%%%"  "%%%%,
               ,%%%%"      "%%%%,
             ,%%%%"          "%%%%,
           ,%%%%"              "%%%%,,
         ,%%%%"                  "%%%%%%,,,
      ,,%%%"                       "%%%%%%%%%%%%
  ,,%%%%"   %,                   ,%, "%%%%%%%%"
%%%"""      %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%   ""%%%%
            %%%%                %%%%
            %%%%                %%%%
            %%%%                %%%%
            %%%%                %%%%
            %%%%                %%%%
            %%%%                %%%%
            "%%"                "%%"

Character Etymology:

An opening—and spliiting—here doubled for emphasis. Therefore a deep, wide, split opening such as a valley or a gorge.


on-yomi: KOKU
kun-yomi: tani ya

Nanori Readings:

Nanori: gai gae gaya se tari tan ya

English Definitions:

  1. KOKU, tani: valley, dale, ravine; trough (of a wave); trough (in atmospheric pressure).
  2. ya: valley.

Character Index Numbers:

New Nelson: 5730
Henshall: 122

Unicode Encoded Version:

Unicode Encoded Compound Examples:

幽谷 (yuukoku): deep ravine.
(taniguchi): mouth of a valley.
(tanigawa): mouth of a stream or river.

Previous: join | Japanese Kanji | Next: black

Val"ley (?), n.; pl. Valleys (#). [OE. vale, valeie, OF. val'ee, valede, F. vall'ee, LL. vallata, L. vallis, valles. See Vale.]



The valley of the shadow of death. Ps. xxiii. 4.

Sweet interchange Of hill and valley, rivers, woods, and plains. Milton.

⇒ Deep and narrow valleys with abrupt sides are usually the results of erosion by water, and are called gorges, ravines, canons, gulches, etc.

2. Arch. (a)




Valley board Arch., a board for the reception of the lead gutter in the valley of a roof. The valley board and lead gutter are not usual in the United States. -- Valley rafter, ∨ Valley piece Arch., the rafter which supports the valley. -- Valley roof Arch., a roof having one or more valleys. See Valley, 2, above.


© Webster 1913.
