玉砕

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Written 玉砕 and read ぎょくさい, it historically denotes a unit's annihilation in battle and figuratively a crushing defeat.
• Basic usage: It appears in a historical novel and in an effort to avoid total failure in negotiations.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A loaded and very strong expression
  • Because it evokes annihilation and can glorify self-destruction, it is stronger than ordinary defeat.