The trunk or torso of a person or animal; the body excluding the head and limbs (chest, abdomen, waist).
彼は胴をねじってボールを投げた。
He twisted his torso and threw the ball.
猫は胴が柔らかいので狭い所にも入れる。
A cat's body is flexible, so it can fit into narrow spaces.
胴の部分を保護するためにベルトを締めた。
He fastened a belt to protect his torso.
In kendo, the plastron (dō) that protects the chest; also refers to the target area (striking the torso).
相手の胴に竹刀を当てて一本を取った。
He struck the opponent's torso with his shinai and scored a point.
胴がしっかりしている防具を選ぶべきだ。
You should choose protective gear with a sturdy dō (torso protector).
The body or frame of an instrument (e.g., the shell of a drum or the sound box of a shamisen); can also refer to the hull of a ship or the frame of an object.
太鼓の胴が割れて音が変わってしまった。
The drum's body cracked and the sound changed.
三味線は胴の材質で音色が大きく変わる。
The shamisen's tone varies greatly depending on the material of its body.
In hanafuda (Japanese playing cards), a rare/archaic term meaning the dealer or the parent card (also written 筒).
この地域では古い花札の用語で胴という言い方が残っている。
In this region, the old hanafuda term 'dō' is still used.