1.
land mine
An explosive device buried underground that detonates when stepped on or triggered, used as a weapon in warfare.
地雷を撤去する。
To remove land mines.
この地域にはまだ地雷が埋まっている。
There are still land mines buried in this area.
戦争が終わっても地雷の被害は続いている。
Even after the war ended, damage from land mines continues.
2.
hidden danger; something that triggers a bad reaction; a "minefield"
Figurative use, especially common online and in casual speech.
それは地雷だよ。
That's a minefield (i.e., don't go there).
彼女の地雷を踏んでしまった。
I accidentally stepped on one of her sore spots.
あの話題は上司にとって地雷だから避けたほうがいい。
That topic is a minefield for the boss, so it's better to avoid it.
Originally a military term for explosive devices buried underground. In modern Japanese, especially in casual conversation and online, it is widely used figuratively to mean a hidden danger or a sensitive topic that triggers a negative reaction when touched upon.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 地雷を踏む: to step on a mine; to hit a sore spot
- 地雷を埋める: to bury a mine
- 地雷撤去: mine removal
- 地雷原: minefield
FIGURATIVE USAGE:
In slang, 地雷 can also describe a person, product, or situation that looks fine on the surface but turns out to be problematic. The expression 地雷を踏む (to step on a mine) is the most common figurative usage, meaning to accidentally say or do something that upsets someone.