A person or action that is extremely reckless or suicidal, often used in a military context.
Examples:
The project turned out to be a kamikaze mission, doomed from the start.His kamikaze dive into the icy waters showed real grit.She made a kamikaze career move, risking everything.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Hara-kiri
/ˈhɑːrəˌkɪri/
A traditional Japanese practice of committing suicide by disembowelment with a sword
Examples:
He studied the ritual of hara-kiri deeply in his research.The film portrays the tragic story of a samurai's hara-kiri.Hara-kiri was a matter of honor in the samurai code.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
Both words are related to Japanese culture and historical practices, but they refer to different concepts.
Kamikaze is associated with a specific group during World War II, whereas hara-kiri relates to a ritual suicide practice.
Kamikaze can be remembered as involving pilots and planes, while hara-kiri involves a personal act with a sword.
Hara-kiri is a form of sepukku, which is part of the samurai code, unlike kamikaze which is tied to military tactics.
Think of kamikaze as a war term and hara-kiri as a cultural term.