# hara-kiri

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌhæɹəˈkɪɹi/

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. Suicide or any suicidal action.
3. An act against one's own interests.

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

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hara-kiri