地雷
jirai[d͡ʑiɾa̠i]
The English phrase 'land mine' is translated into Japanese as 地雷 (jirai).
While the primary meaning refers to an actual explosive mine placed on the ground, the term is also used metaphorically in modern Japanese slang. In this context, it describes a person or a topic that acts as a 'hidden trap,' likely to cause an emotional outburst or a social disaster if it is touched or discussed.
Meaning: mine that is placed on land (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
jirai
Did you know?
- The kanji 地 in 地雷 means 'ground' and 雷 means 'thunder', implying that a land mine is like 'thunder in the ground'.
- When referring to a person who is a 'land mine' in a romantic context, people often use the term 地雷系 (jirai-kei). This refers to a specific subculture of fashion and personality that is popular among certain demographics on social media.
- In the context of Japanese gaming culture, 地雷 can refer to a teammate who appears normal but possesses terrible skills or unpredictable behavior that 'blows up' the team's chances of winning.
Examples in context
- その場所には地雷が埋まっている。Sono basho ni wa jirai ga umatte iru.A land mine is buried in that place.
- 地雷の危険がある。Jirai no kiken ga aru.There is a danger of land mines.
- 彼は地雷を撤去する任務に就いた。Kare wa jirai o tekkyo suru ninmu ni tsuita.He was assigned to the mission of removing land mines.
Example conversation
Two people are discussing a news report about a war zone.
- 結衣 Yuiニュースで地雷の被害を見たよ。Nyūsu de jirai no higai o mita yo.I saw news about land mine damage.
- 陽太 Yotaそれは本当に恐ろしいね。Sore wa hontō ni osoroshii ne.That is truly terrifying.
- 結衣 Yui陽太くん、あんな場所には行けないよ。Yōta-kun, anna basho ni wa ikenai yo.Yota, you can't go to a place like that.
- 陽太 Yotaそうだね、とても危険だ。Sō da ne, totemo kiken da.You're right, it's very dangerous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “land mine” translations and entries 地雷, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
