だるま

noun

daruma doll; tumbling doll; good-luck doll

A round, red-painted doll modeled after Bodhidharma; often used as a good-luck charm with one blank eye painted in when a wish is made, and the other when fulfilled.

• 新しん年ねんにだるまを買かって、願ねがい事ごとをしながら左ひだり目めを入いれた。

  I bought a daruma doll at New Year's and painted in its left eye while making a wish.

• だるまは倒たおれても起おき上あがるので、縁えん起ぎ物ものとされている。

  Because a daruma doll rights itself when knocked over, it is considered a lucky charm.

noun

Bodhidharma

The Buddhist monk traditionally credited with bringing Zen to China; historical/religious context.

• 達磨だるま大だい師しは禅ぜん宗しゅうの開かい祖そとされている。

  Bodhidharma is regarded as the founder of Zen Buddhism.

noun

prostitute

Rare slang usage; possibly from the resemblance of a reclining prostitute to a daruma doll.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいの俗ぞく語ごで、遊ゆう女じょを「だるま」と呼よぶことがあった。

  In Edo-period slang, prostitutes were sometimes called 'daruma'.