noun
steel trap; foothold trap; bear trap
A strong, spring-loaded trap with metal jaws, used for catching wild animals by the leg. Often associated with trapping bears or boars in rural Japan.
山でトラバサミを仕掛けるのは法律で禁止されている。
Setting steel traps in the mountains is prohibited by law.
昔、猟師はクマを捕るためにトラバサミを
In the past, hunters used bear traps to catch bears.
罠 is a general term for any trap or snare, while トラバサミ specifically refers to a steel jaw trap.
Compound of 虎 (tora, 'tiger') and 挟み (hasami, 'pincers, trap'), literally 'tiger trap'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely refers to the trap's strength, capable of holding a large animal like a tiger.