Last Updated：2025/11/29

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A sovereign state's army or military force that is too small to fundamentally protect the country, and could be considered to exist merely for decoration.

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bonsai army

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Source Word

bonsai army

Noun

Japanese Meaning

国家の防衛としては不十分なほど小規模な軍隊 / 実際の戦力を持たず、主に形式的・装飾的な存在としての軍隊

What is this buttons?

Despite its impressive uniforms, the nation's bonsai army was incapable of defending its borders against real threats.

Google Translation / DeepL Translation

見事な制服を着ているにもかかわらず、その国の名ばかりの軍隊は実際の脅威から国境を守ることができなかった。

Details

Sense（1）

Without Soviet support surrounding the missile crisis, Cuba's military would have been merely a bonsai army and they would have quickly succumbed to any serious invasion from the west.

Google Translation / DeepL Translation

Details

Sense（2）

A tiny, largely-ornamental (military) structure bereft of the capability to effectively carry out its constitutional missions.

Sense（3）

A military that covers the entire spectrum of capabilities, but has virtually no external military clout.

bonsai armies

（ plural ）

Details

bonsai army

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bonsai army

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