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特攻隊 (とっこうたい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Meanings 1
noun
special attack unit ; kamikaze unit ; suicide squad
Refers specifically to WWII Japanese military units that carried out suicide attacks, especially the Navy's kamikaze air units. The term is strongly associated with the Pacific War and carries heavy historical weight.
See also: 特別攻撃隊
Records of the kamikaze units convey the tragedy of war to the present day.
Kanji 攻 aggression, attack, criticize 隊 regiment, party, company Similar words 特とく 別べつ 攻こう 撃げき 隊たい Full official term for the special attack units; 特攻隊 is the common abbreviation.
神かみ 風かぜ Originally referred to the divine wind that saved Japan from Mongol invasions; later used for the suicide attack units, but 特攻隊 is the more precise military term.
Etymology Abbreviation of 特別攻撃隊 (tokubetsu kōgekitai, 'special attack unit'), formed from 特 (toku, 'special') + 攻 (kō, 'attack') + 隊 (tai, 'unit').
