Harakiri (Noun)
Meaning
Ritual suicide by self-disembowelment on a sword; practiced by samurai in the traditional Japanese society.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The ritual of harakiri was a last resort for a samurai who had failed in his duty or brought shame to his family.
- In feudal Japan, harakiri was considered an honorable way for a samurai to die rather than face capture or defeat.
- The act of harakiri required great courage and discipline, as the samurai had to slice open his own abdomen with a sword.
- The practice of harakiri was banned in the late 19th century as Japan modernized and moved away from its traditional samurai culture.
- Despite its historical significance, harakiri remains a disturbing and somewhat mysterious aspect of Japan's samurai heritage.