Is there any difference in meaning between 陥る and 落ち入る?


These two words appear to mean the same thing and the entry on Google
dictionary gives the definition as the same for both.

Are there any cases where you would use one instead of the other?




Although it's etymologically a compound of 落{お}ち＋入{い}る, it's now usually
written 陥る instead. The NHK漢字表記辞典 recommends writing it 陥る and doesn't mention
the other spelling at all. Some dictionaries list both spellings, as you point
out; for example, 明鏡国語辞典 lists the word under 陥る but mentions the alternative
etymological spelling:

> 〔表記〕語源を反映させて「落ち入る」とも。

This is written under sense one, 「落ちて、中のほうに入る」, so I suppose this spelling
would likely only be used when the word is used in its literal sense, as
reflected by the kanji 落 and 入. But if I try to check actual usage by
searching the [_Balanced Corpus of Contemporary Written Japanese
(BCCWJ)_](http://www.kotonoha.gr.jp/shonagon/) using the freely available 少納言
interface, I find the following results:

[code]

      陥る　　　　　　　600 results
      落ち入る　　　　　only 1 result
    
[/code]

So regardless of meaning, writing it as 落ち入る is a lot less common. I think you
can stick to writing 陥る yourself, and be prepared to recognize the alternate
spelling if you ever see it.

