盾(たて)

たて
noun
shield
militaryabstract
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 everyday Japanese the word is met most often in 〜を盾(たて)にする, "to use ~ as a shield or excuse."

Common patterns

Etymology

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))
core
Added 2026.1.12 18:15 · Revised 2026.9.30 5:54
03000/03430_tate