扇せん子す腹ばら

noun

fan seppuku; symbolic disembowelment with a fan

Historical term for a form of seppuku where the condemned samurai performs a symbolic disembowelment using a fan instead of a real blade, followed by decapitation. Used as a death penalty for samurai.

See also: 切腹

• 扇せん子す腹ばらは、実じっ際さいに腹はらを切きる代かわりに扇せん子すを使つかう切せっ腹ぷくの形けい式しきである。

  Fan seppuku is a form of seppuku in which a fan is used instead of actually cutting the abdomen.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だい、罪つみを犯おかした武ぶ士しは扇せん子す腹ばらを命めいじられることがあった。

  During the Edo period, samurai who committed crimes could be sentenced to fan seppuku.