之の字じ運うん動どう

noun

zig-zag motion (esp. of a warship)

Refers to a zig-zag movement pattern, especially used by warships to evade torpedoes or submarines. The term is derived from the shape of the hiragana character の.

See also: ジグザグ航行

• 敵てきの潜せん水すい艦かんを避さけるため、艦かん隊たいは之の字じ運うん動どうを続つづけた。

  To avoid enemy submarines, the fleet continued zig-zag motion.

• 之の字じ運うん動どうは第だい二に次じ世せ界かい大たい戦せん中ちゅうによく使つかわれた戦せん術じゅつだ。

  Zig-zag motion was a tactic often used during World War II.