hara

IPA/ˌhær.əˈkiː.ri/
KK[hˈɛrə]IPA/ˌher.əˈkiː.ri/

hara — noun

1. a Japanese ritual of suicide by cutting open the abdomen with a short sword, tra

1.nounC1
Definition

a Japanese ritual of suicide by cutting open the abdomen with a short sword, traditionally performed by samurai warriors to preserve their honour rather than face capture or disgrace

Example

A disgraced samurai named Minho performed hara to restore his family's honour.

perform hara — verb + uncountable noun for the act

Lotte read that hara was considered a courageous death according to bushidō tradition.

Common collocations
  • perform hara
  • commit hara
  • hara ritual
  • die by hara
Synonyms
  • seppuku

    the formal Sino-Japanese reading; more common than 'hara' in academic and historical English writing

  • harakiri

    the native Japanese reading, considered less formal than seppuku in Japanese but used interchangeably in English

Usage Note

Frequently referred to as seppuku (the formal term) or harakiri (the informal Japanese reading) in English. Typically used as an uncountable noun and paired with 'perform' or 'commit'.

Common Mistakes

The samurai committed hara by jumping off a cliff.
The samurai performed hara by cutting open his abdomen with a sword.
Hara specifically involves cutting the belly with a blade, not any form of suicide.

Word family

  • harakiri
    nounC1
  • seppuku
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three terms refer to the same Japanese practice of ritual suicide by abdominal cutting. 'Seppuku' (切腹) is the formal Sino-Japanese reading used in official documents and historical scholarship — it is the most respectful and neutral term. 'Harakiri' (腹切り) is the native Japanese reading and carries a slightly more colloquial or even vulgar tone in Japanese, though English speakers use it freely. 'Hara' is the least common of the three in English; it is simply the noun for 'belly' in Japanese and appears mostly in fixed phrases like 'perform hara'. In English historical writing, 'seppuku' is preferred; in casual conversation, 'harakiri' is more likely to be recognised.

seppukuharakirihara ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • hara ritual
  • hara ceremony
  • hara death

Phrases

  • perform hara
  • commit hara
  • die by hara

Prepositions

  • by hara
  • through hara

Etymology

JapaneseEnglish

Borrowed directly from Japanese hara (腹), meaning 'belly' or 'stomach'. In full, the term harakiri (腹切り) combines hara ('belly') with kiri ('cutting'). The formal Sino-Japanese reading seppuku (切腹) uses the same Chinese characters with the on'yomi pronunciation. The word entered English in the late 19th century through writings about samurai culture.