noun
airborne troops; paratroops
Military term for a unit of soldiers trained to be deployed by parachute or air transport. Often used in compound names like 空挺部隊.
See also: 空挺部隊
空挺隊が敵の背後に降下した。
The airborne troops parachuted behind enemy lines.
Compound of 空挺 (kūtei, 'airborne') + 隊 (tai, 'corps, unit'). The term 空挺 is a relatively modern coinage combining 空 (sky, air) and 挺 (to stand out, to be active), likely influenced by military terminology.