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.
盾で体を守る。
To protect one's body with a shield.
子供を盾にして逃げるのは卑怯だ。
It's cowardly to escape using a child as a shield.
警察は盾を構えてデモ隊に向かった。
The police held up shields and faced the demonstrators.
木の盾では弾は防げない。
A wooden shield can't stop bullets.
騎士は盾で矢を防いだ。
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 〜を盾にする (to use ~ as a shield/excuse).
彼は病気を盾にして仕事を休んだ。
He used his illness as an excuse to take time off work.
〜を盾にする = to use ~ as an excuse/shield
権利を盾にして要求を通す。
To push through demands using one's rights as a shield.
法律を盾にして支払いを拒否した。
They refused payment using the law as a shield.
彼女は仕事を盾にして誘いを断った。
She turned down the invitation using work as an excuse.
忙しさを盾にして会議を欠席した。
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:
- 盾にする (to use as a shield/excuse)
- 盾になる (to serve as protection)
- 法の盾 (shield of the law)
- 人権を盾にする (to hide behind human rights)
RELATED: 矛 (spear) - these two words appear together in the famous Chinese story about contradiction (矛盾).
Related Words
Related:
矛盾 (contradiction (from 盾 and 矛))