noun
Refers to a protective structure or trench used to take cover from air raids, shelling, or similar dangers. Often used in military or wartime contexts.
空襲警報が鳴ったので、急いで待避壕に逃げ込んだ。
When the air-raid siren sounded, we hurried into the bomb shelter.
戦場では兵士たちが
On the battlefield, the soldiers dug trenches to take cover.
シェルター is a more general loanword for 'shelter', used in both civilian and military contexts, whereas 待避壕 is a Sino-Japanese compound with a stronger wartime nuance.
Compound of 待避 (たいひ, 'taking refuge') and 壕 (ごう, 'trench' or 'dugout'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word likely emerged in military contexts during the early 20th century.