noun
trial by boiling water
Historical Japanese ordeal in which a person's hand was placed in boiling water; innocence was assumed if the hand was not scalded. Also known as 探湯 (くかたち).
See also: 探湯
古代日本では、盟神探湯という神判が行われていた。
In ancient Japan, a divine ordeal called meishintantō was practiced.
盟神探湯は、熱湯に手を入れて無罪を証明する方法だった。
Meishintantō was a method of proving innocence by putting one's hand in boiling water.
探湯 is an older or alternative name for the same ordeal, sometimes read くかたち. 盟神探湯 is the fuller yojijukugo form.
From 盟神 (oath to the gods) + 探湯 (searching by hot water). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term refers to a specific ancient Japanese ordeal.