noun
sacrificial pawn; sacrificed piece
Shogi term for a piece deliberately sacrificed for strategic advantage.
彼は序盤で捨て駒を使い、相手の陣形を崩した。
He used a sacrificial pawn in the opening to disrupt his opponent's formation.
noun
sacrifice; expendable person or thing
Figurative extension: a person or thing used as a disposable tool for a larger goal, often in business, politics, or organizations.
会社は彼を捨て駒にして不祥事の責任を取らせた。
The company made him a scapegoat and forced him to take responsibility for the scandal.
政治家はしばしば側近を捨て駒にする。
Politicians often use their close aides as expendable pawns.
A general word for sacrifice or victim; 捨て駒 emphasizes the strategic, disposable nature, often with a nuance of cold calculation.
Compound of 捨て (throwing away) + 駒 (shogi piece). Originally a shogi term, later extended metaphorically.