also: ろうえん · ほうか
signal fire; beacon; smoke signal
Historical signal fire or smoke used for communication, especially in warfare. Can also refer to a skyrocket used as a signal.
starting signal; starting shot
Only with reading のろし
Figurative use of のろし to mean a signal that starts something, like a campaign or event. Often used in phrases like 狼煙を上げる (to fire the starting signal).
His speech became the starting signal for the election campaign.
In the Warring States period, they communicated from castle to castle by raising signal fires.
They lit a beacon on the mountaintop to send a signal.
The announcement of the new product fired the starting shot in the industry.
Standard kanji spelling for the reading のろし. This is a jukujikun reading.
On'yomi reading for 狼煙, used in historical or literary contexts.
Kana spelling is common in modern writing, especially when the kanji are obscure.
Alternate kanji form, also read ほうか. Rarely used.
On'yomi reading for 烽火, used in historical or literary contexts.
Rarely used kanji form.
The reading のろし is a jukujikun (special kanji reading) for 狼煙, meaning 'wolf smoke', referring to the ancient practice of burning wolf dung to create dense smoke signals. The on'yomi readings ろうえん and ほうか are Sino-Japanese.