This is the 1971st most frequent Japanese word.
つか
"つか" can mean "mound" or "hillock," often referring to a raised area or pile.
Here, "つかの間" (tsuka no ma) means "a brief moment" and is used as a noun phrase to describe a short duration of time.
彼の言葉を聞いて、つかの間の幸せを感じた。
Hearing his words, I felt a fleeting moment of happiness.
In this case, "つかえた" is a conjugation of the verb "つかえる" (tsukaeru), meaning "to hesitate" or "to stumble," indicating an action of faltering or encountering difficulty.
彼がその場所でつかえた理由を知りたい。
I want to know the reason why he hesitated in that place.
The word "使える" (tsukaeru), derived from "使う" (tsukau), means "can be used" or "usable," illustrating its application in describing functionality or usability.