Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [hahr-uh-keer-ee, har-uh-, har-ee-]
- /ˈhɑr əˈkɪər i, ˈhær ə-, ˈhær i-/
- /ˌhær.əˈkiː.ri/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [hahr-uh-keer-ee, har-uh-, har-ee-]
- /ˈhɑr əˈkɪər i, ˈhær ə-, ˈhær i-/
Definitions of hara-kiri word
- noun hara-kiri Also called seppuku. ceremonial suicide by ripping open the abdomen with a dagger or knife: formerly practiced in Japan by members of the warrior class when disgraced or sentenced to death. 1
- noun hara-kiri suicide or any suicidal action; a self-destructive act: political hara-kiri. 1
- uncountable noun hara-kiri In former times, if a Japanese man committed hara-kiri, he killed himself by cutting his own stomach open, in order to avoid dishonour. 0
- noun hara-kiri (formerly, in Japan) ritual suicide by disembowelment with a sword when disgraced or under sentence of death 0
- noun hara-kiri ritual suicide by cutting the abdomen: it is called seppuku by the Japanese, and was practiced by high-ranking Japanese of the military class in lieu of execution or to avoid disgrace 0
Information block about the term
Origin of hara-kiri
First appearance:
before 1855 One of the 30% newest English words
1855-60; < Japanese, equivalent to hara belly (earlier fara < *para) + kiri cut
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Hara-kiri
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
hara-kiri popularity
A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 43% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
According to our data about 51% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.
Synonyms for hara-kiri
noun hara-kiri
- seppuku — hara-kiri (def 1).
- disembowelment — to remove the bowels or entrails from; eviscerate.
- self-immolation — voluntary sacrifice or denial of oneself, as for an ideal or another person.
See also
Matching words
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