Buddhist term for the infernal realms. Used in religious contexts; the loanword from Sanskrit naraka.
from Sanskrit naraka
very bottom; the end; worst possible circumstances
Figurative use derived from the Buddhist hell: a situation of utter despair, rock bottom, or the worst possible outcome. Often used in expressions like 奈落の底.
trap room; below-stage basement
Only when written 奈落
Theatrical term for the space beneath the stage, used for trapdoor effects and storage. Restricted to the 奈落 spelling.
In Buddhism, it is taught that accumulating evil deeds leads to falling into Naraka.
After losing his job, he felt as if he had been thrown into the abyss.
The accident sent his life tumbling into the depths.
Stage props are stored in the trap room beneath the stage.
奈落 evokes a bottomless abyss or pit of doom, while 地獄 more broadly names the realm or state of suffering itself.
奈落 evokes hell or a bottomless pit and is used almost only figuratively, whereas 淵 can describe either a literal deep pool or a figurative depth of despair.
Standard kanji spelling for all senses. The theatrical sense is restricted to this form.
Rarely used kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form.
Borrowed from Sanskrit naraka via Buddhist texts. The kanji 奈落 are ateji used phonetically. The theatrical sense derives from the idea of a dark, hidden space beneath the stage, likened to the underworld.