盾(たて)

たて
noun
shield
1. shield
A piece of armor carried to protect the body in combat. In modern Japanese, commonly used figuratively to mean something that protects or serves as a defense.
盾(たて)で体(からだ)を守(まも)る。
To protect one's body with a shield.
子供(こども)を盾(たて)にして逃(に)げるのは卑怯(ひきょう)だ。
It's cowardly to escape using a child as a shield.
警察(けいさつ)は盾(たて)を構(かま)えてデモ隊(たい)に向(む)かった。
The police held up shields and faced the demonstrators.
木(き)の盾(たて)では弾(たま)は防(ふせ)げない。
A wooden shield can't stop bullets.
騎士(きし)は盾(たて)で矢(や)を防(ふせ)いだ。
The knight blocked the arrows with his shield.
2. pretext, excuse
Something used as a protective cover for one's true intentions or actions. Often appears in the phrase 〜を盾(たて)にする (to use ~ as a shield/excuse).
彼(かれ)は病気(びょうき)を盾(たて)にして仕事(しごと)を休(やす)んだ。
He used his illness as an excuse to take time off work.
〜を盾にする = to use ~ as an excuse/shield
権利(けんり)を盾(たて)にして要求(ようきゅう)を通(とお)す。
To push through demands using one's rights as a shield.
法律(ほうりつ)を盾(たて)にして支払(しはら)いを拒否(きょひ)した。
They refused payment using the law as a shield.
彼女(かのじょ)は仕事(しごと)を盾(たて)にして誘(さそ)いを断(ことわ)った。
She turned down the invitation using work as an excuse.
忙(いそが)しさを盾(たて)にして会議(かいぎ)を欠席(けっせき)した。
I was absent from the meeting, using being busy as an excuse.

USAGE: In modern Japanese, the figurative meaning (excuse, pretext) is more common than the literal meaning (physical shield). Japanese samurai historically did not use shields as commonly as Western soldiers since they needed both hands for swords and bows.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 盾(たて)にする (to use as a shield/excuse)
  • 盾(たて)になる (to serve as protection)
  • 法(ほう)の盾(たて) (shield of the law)
  • 人権(じんけん)を盾(たて)にする (to hide behind human rights)

RELATED: 矛(ほこ) (spear) - these two words appear together in the famous Chinese story about contradiction (矛盾(むじゅん)).

Related Words

Related: 矛盾(むじゅん) (contradiction (from 盾 and 矛))
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Added 2026.1.12 18:15 · Revised 2026.5.26 1:37
03000/03430_tate