A terminal fitting, comprising: a terminal connecting portion with an open front surface to allow the entrance of a tab of a mating terminal; and a resilient contact piece for resiliently electrically contacting the tab at least partly inserted into the terminal connecting portion; wherein: the terminal connecting portion includes a base plate portion, a pair of side plate portions projecting from the base plate portion via curved portions, and an ceiling plate portion substantially extending in parallel to the base plate portion; the resilient contact piece includes a turned portion substantially extending forward from the front end edge of the base plate portion and a main portion substantially extending backward from the extending end of the turned portion and including a contact portion with the tab; and a front end portion of the terminal connecting portion is formed with a pair of first slits extending backward from the front end edge of the terminal connecting portion along left and right lateral edges of the turned portion, characterized by at least one second slit substantially extending from the rear end of the first slit along the front end edge of the base plate portion and the front end edge of the curved portion, and at least one protecting plate portion bent along folding lines substantially extending in forward and backward directions, defined by the first and second slits (24, 25) and substantially extending in a cantilever manner toward the turned portion. a terminal connecting portion with an open front surface to allow the entrance of a tab of a mating terminal; and a resilient contact piece for resiliently electrically contacting the tab at least partly inserted into the terminal connecting portion; wherein: the terminal connecting portion includes a base plate portion, a pair of side plate portions projecting from the base plate portion via curved portions, and an ceiling plate portion substantially extending in parallel to the base plate portion; the resilient contact piece includes a turned portion substantially extending forward from the front end edge of the base plate portion and a main portion substantially extending backward from the extending end of the turned portion and including a contact portion with the tab; and a front end portion of the terminal connecting portion is formed with a pair of first slits extending backward from the front end edge of the terminal connecting portion along left and right lateral edges of the turned portion, characterized by at least one second slit substantially extending from the rear end of the first slit along the front end edge of the base plate portion and the front end edge of the curved portion, and at least one protecting plate portion bent along folding lines substantially extending in forward and backward directions, defined by the first and second slits (24, 25) and substantially extending in a cantilever manner toward the turned portion. the terminal connecting portion includes a base plate portion, a pair of side plate portions projecting from the base plate portion via curved portions, and an ceiling plate portion substantially extending in parallel to the base plate portion; the resilient contact piece includes a turned portion substantially extending forward from the front end edge of the base plate portion and a main portion substantially extending backward from the extending end of the turned portion and including a contact portion with the tab; and a front end portion of the terminal connecting portion is formed with a pair of first slits extending backward from the front end edge of the terminal connecting portion along left and right lateral edges of the turned portion, characterized by at least one second slit substantially extending from the rear end of the first slit along the front end edge of the base plate portion and the front end edge of the curved portion, and at least one protecting plate portion bent along folding lines substantially extending in forward and backward directions, defined by the first and second slits (24, 25) and substantially extending in a cantilever manner toward the turned portion.