shoulder pad; shoulder reinforcement; epaulet
A pad or reinforcement attached to the shoulder area of clothing, armor, or bags. Also used for decorative epaulets on uniforms.
This jacket has shoulder pads.
bed cloak; shoulder wrap for bed
A short cloak or wrap worn over the shoulders while sitting up in bed, traditionally used for warmth. Rare in modern daily life.
Rank insignia are attached to the epaulets of the uniform.
People in the past wore a bed cloak when sleeping.
Standard kanji spelling with okurigana.
Abbreviated kanji spelling without okurigana.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling, common in everyday writing.
Compound of 肩 (かた, 'shoulder') and 当て (あて, 'pad, reinforcement'). The second sense likely derives from the idea of something placed against the shoulders for warmth.