noun
tankette; car-sized tank
Military term for a small, lightly armored tracked vehicle, typically with a crew of one or two, used for reconnaissance or infantry support. The kanji 豆 (bean) suggests small size.
第二次世界大戦では、豆戦車が偵察任務に使われた。
During World War II, tankettes were used for reconnaissance missions.
軽戦車 (light tank) is larger and more heavily armed than a 豆戦車, which is even smaller and often used for scouting.
Compound of 豆 (まめ, 'bean', here meaning 'miniature') and 戦車 (せんしゃ, 'tank'). The term is a calque from English 'tankette' or similar Western military terminology.