Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hara-kiri

/ˌhæɹəˈkɪɹi/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.47 in modern English

Syllables: hara-kiri
IPA: /ˌhæɹəˈkɪɹi/

15

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

4

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Ceremonial suicide by disembowelment, as by slicing open the abdomen with a dagger or knife: formerly practised in Japan by the samurai when disgraced or sentenced to death.

Uncountable

noun

Suicide or any suicidal action.

Uncountable

noun

An act against one's own interests.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"On the downfall of his power in 1867 he was urged by one of his Council to save the honour of his family by a voluntary suicide. He flatly refused to do so and left the room, whereupon his faithful adviser retired to another part of the castle and solemnly performed the hara-kiri."
"...the report that was issued at the time officially blamed a disgruntled crewman who had been accused of theft and may have decided to do the ultimate hara-kiri, but quite how you prove that I don't know..."
"Regarded logically, therefore, Japan’s decision to go to war made no sense. It was hara-kiri."
"They are haunted by the spectre of the 1984 election, when Mr Walter Mondale committed hara-kiri by acknowledging the need to raise taxes if America were to get its economy straight."
"But with GSM players lobbying hard for more spectrum, taking MVNOs on board now would be hara-kiri."

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 腹切り (harakiri), ultimately from 腹 (hara, “belly”) + 切る (kiru, “to cut”).

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

harakiri (alternative) hari-kari (alternative, nonstandard) harikari (alternative, nonstandard) harikiri (alternative)

Frequently Paired Words

bushido kamikaze seppuku suicide

Synonyms

seppuku harakiri harikari

Rhymes With

theory weary erie eerie siri dreary o'leary cheery cleary leary teary geary

Questions

How do you pronounce hara-kiri?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌhæɹəˈkɪɹi/.
What does hara-kiri mean?: Ceremonial suicide by disembowelment, as by slicing open the abdomen with a dagger or knife: formerly practised in Japan by the samurai when disgraced or sentenced to death.
Where does hara-kiri come from?: Borrowed from Japanese 腹切り (harakiri), ultimately from 腹 (hara, “belly”) + 切る (kiru, “to cut”).

How to pronounce hara-kiri

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “hara-kiri”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌhæɹəˈkɪɹi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “hara-kiri” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.