Harakiri and seppuku mean exactly the same thing in Japanese, but, Japanese people almost never use the word harakiri and prefer the word seppuku instead. Harakiri refers to the action of cutting …

Seppuku (切腹, lit. 'cutting [the] belly'), also called harakiri (腹切り, lit. 'abdomen/belly cutting', a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment.

Jun 14, 2025 · Discover the real difference between harakiri and seppuku — from historical roots in samurai culture to modern interpretations and usage. Learn when, why, and how each term is used.

The meaning of HARA-KIRI is ritual suicide by disembowelment practiced by the Japanese samurai or formerly decreed by a court in lieu of the death penalty.

Nov 12, 2025 · Japanese: “self-disembowelment” Also called: hara-kiri Also spelled: harakiri Related Topics: suicide samurai

Harakiri, on the other hand, is a more colloquial term that is often used to refer to any form of ritual suicide, not just that performed by samurai. While the basic concept of harakiri is similar to seppuku, …

Harakiri is an excellent human drama set in feudal Japan that involves a ronin presenting himself to a powerful clan and asking to commit harikiri. However, through a series of flashbacks we see that this …

Jun 1, 2025 · While “ Seppuku ” And “ Harakiri “ (/has · kì · ri, ka-/) both indicate the Japanese ritual suicide, there are significant differences in theirs use and connotation. Seppuku is the term more …

May 25, 2022 · Harakiri and Seppuku: The Ritual ... The practice of hara-kiri has many different details but a few elements are common to all versions of the ritual. The samurai intending to take his own …

Jun 16, 2025 · Seppuku, also known as harakiri, is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. While both terms refer to the same act, seppuku carries more formal and ritualistic …