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'.
Kana spelling is standard for this dated term.
Alternate kanji spelling; rarely used.
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').