sacrificial pawn; sacrificed piece
Shogi term for a piece deliberately sacrificed for strategic advantage.
sacrifice; expendable person or thing
Figurative extension: a person or thing used as a disposable tool for a larger goal, often in business, politics, or organizations.
He used a sacrificial pawn in the opening to disrupt his opponent's formation.
The company made him a scapegoat and forced him to take responsibility for the scandal.
Politicians often use their close aides as expendable pawns.
Standard spelling; 捨て is the full okurigana form.
Abbreviated kanji form; less common but still used.
Compound of 捨て (throwing away) + 駒 (shogi piece). Originally a shogi term, later extended metaphorically.