法螺貝

Japanese

法螺貝 (horagai): a horn made from a Charonia tritonis shell.

Kanji in this term
法	螺	貝
ほう > ほ Grade: 4	ら Jinmeiyō	かい > がい Grade: 1
on’yomi		kun’yomi

Etymology

Compound of 法螺 (hora, “boasting, bragging”) +‎ 貝 (kai, “shell, shellfish”). The kai changes to gai as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “relation to 哱囉#Chinese? are we sure that 法螺 is the true meaning and not ateji?”)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ほら​がい [hòráꜜgàì] (Nakadaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [ho̞ɾa̠ɡa̠i]

Noun

法(ほ)螺(ら)貝(がい) or 法螺貝(ホラガイ) • (horagai) 

1. a Triton's trumpet, Charonia tritonis
2. a horn made from a Triton's trumpet shell
3. by metaphor from the shape of the shell, a way of tying a man's obi

Usage notes

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as ホラガイ.

See also

• 陣(じん)貝(がい) (jingai): a horagai shell horn used to signal troops