1.
evacuation, dispersal
The organized relocation of people or assets away from areas of danger, especially during wartime. Most commonly associated with the mass evacuation of urban residents to the countryside during World War II.
子どもたちは田舎に疎開した。
The children were evacuated to the countryside.
戦争中、多くの学校が集団疎開を行った。
During the war, many schools carried out group evacuations.
祖母は戦時中の疎開先での生活について、よく話をしてくれた。
My grandmother often told me about her life at the place where she was evacuated during the war.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
During World War II, as Japanese cities came under air raids, the government organized mass evacuations (疎開) of civilians, especially children, to rural areas. 学童疎開 (schoolchild evacuation) is one of the most well-known aspects of wartime Japan, frequently depicted in literature and film.
Also functions as a する verb: 疎開する (to evacuate, to be evacuated).
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 避難: evacuation/taking refuge — broader term used for any emergency
- 疎開: specifically wartime dispersal of population or assets
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 疎開する: to evacuate
- 疎開先: evacuation destination
- 集団疎開: group evacuation
- 学童疎開: schoolchild evacuation