seppuku

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun ritual suicide by self-disembowelment on a sword; practiced by samurai in the traditional Japanese society

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 切腹 (seppuku), from Middle Chinese 切 (t͡set, “to cut”) + 腹 (pjuwk, “belly”). Compare Cantonese 切腹 (cit³ fuk¹) and Mandarin 切腹 (qiēfù).

In classic literature

Synonyms

harakiri, hara-kiri, harikari

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