noun
pear
Dated euphemism for 梨 (pear), traditionally used to avoid the homophone 無し (nothing). Now rare; 梨 is the normal word.
See also: 梨の実
昔は縁起を担いで、梨のことを「ありの実」と呼ぶことがあった。
In the past, for luck, people sometimes called pears 'ari no mi' instead of 'nashi'.
Standard modern word for pear. ありの実 is an archaic euphemism used to avoid the homophone 無し.
Compound of 有り (ari, 'existing') + の (no, possessive particle) + 実 (mi, 'fruit'), literally 'fruit of existence', used as a euphemism for 梨 (nashi, 'pear') to avoid the homophone 無し (nashi, 'nothing').