The kanji 盾 represents a "shield" or "defense." It conveys the idea of protecting oneself or something else from harm or attack. This includes physical protection, as well as metaphorically, protecting one's interests or reputation.

・On-yomi (音読み): ・ジュン (jun) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ・たて (tate)

⚫︎盾 (tate) Translation: Shield. ⚫︎自衛の盾 (jiei no tate) Translation: Shield of self-defense. ⚫︎矛盾 (mujun) Translation: Contradiction (literally "spear and shield"). This idiom comes from a Chinese story of a person selling both spears and shields, then claiming his spears could pierce any shield, and his shields could defend against any spear.

The kanji 盾 is a pictograph. It visually represents a shield, showing a frame and the curved shape of the shield itself. The initial form of the character depicted a shield with a handle. Over time, the form has simplified.