卜ぼく定じょう

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

deciding through tortoise-shell divination

Historical term referring to the ancient Chinese/Japanese practice of determining a course of action by interpreting cracks on heated tortoise shells. Rare in modern usage; mainly encountered in historical or religious contexts.

• 古こ代だい中ちゅう国ごくでは、重じゅう要ような政せい策さくを卜ぼく定じょうによって決きめることがあった。

  In ancient China, important policies were sometimes decided through tortoise-shell divination.

• 卜ぼく定じょうの儀ぎ式しきは神しん聖せいなものとされていた。

  The ritual of deciding by tortoise-shell divination was considered sacred.