1.
shell; cannonball; artillery round
A projectile fired from a cannon or artillery piece. Also used more broadly for any large-caliber ammunition.
砲弾が飛んできた。
A shell came flying in.
不発弾の砲弾が工事現場で見つかった。
An unexploded shell was found at the construction site.
戦時中、この町には何百発もの砲弾が撃ち込まれた。
During the war, hundreds of shells were fired into this town.
Composed of 砲 (cannon, artillery) + 弾 (bullet, projectile). Common collocations: 砲弾が着弾する (a shell lands/hits), 砲弾を撃ち込む (to fire shells into), 砲弾の雨 (a rain of shells). In Japan, 不発弾 (unexploded ordnance) from World War II are still occasionally found during construction, especially in Okinawa. The counter for shells is 発: 一発の砲弾 (one shell).