noun
howitzer
Military term for a type of artillery piece with a relatively short barrel, capable of firing shells at both high and low angles.
榴弾砲は山岳地帯での戦闘に適している。
Howitzers are suited for combat in mountainous areas.
Standard kanji spelling for howitzer.
A cannon (カノン砲) typically has a longer barrel and fires at higher velocities with a flatter trajectory, while a howitzer (榴弾砲) is designed for higher-angle fire.
A mortar (迫撃砲) is a simpler, often portable weapon that fires shells at very high angles over short distances, whereas a howitzer is a larger, more versatile artillery piece.
Compound of 榴弾 (りゅうだん, 'high-explosive shell') and 砲 (ほう, 'gun, cannon'). The reading りゅうだんぽう is a variant with rendaku-like voicing, but りゅうだんほう is more common.