刑吏

Japanese

Kanji in this term
刑	吏
けい Grade: S	り Grade: S
on'yomi

Etymology

刑 (kei, “sentence”) +‎ 吏 (ri, “official”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ke̞ːɾʲi]

Noun

刑(けい)吏(り) • (keiri) 

1. executioner
   • 1940, Osamu Dazai, Hashire Melos [Run, Melos!]‎^[1]:

     「私(わたし)だ、刑(けい)吏(り)！　殺(ころ)されるのは、私(わたし)だ。メロスだ。彼(かれ)を人(ひと)質(じち)にした私(わたし)は、ここにいる！」と、かすれた声(こえ)で精(せい)一(いっ)ぱいに叫(さけ)びながら、ついに磔(はりつけ)台(だい)に昇(のぼ)り、釣(つ)り上(あ)げられてゆく友(とも)の両(りょう)足(あし)に、齧(かじ)りついた。

     “Watashi da, keiri! Korosareru no wa, watashi da. Merosu da. Kare o hitojichi ni shita watashi wa, koko ni iru!” to, kasureta koe de seīppai ni sakebinagara, tsui ni haritsukedai ni nobori, tsuriagerareteyuku tomo no ryōashi ni, kajiritsuita.

     "It's me, executioner! The one who shall be killed is me. Melos. The me who held him hostage is here!" Shouting in a hoarse voice with all his strength, he grabbed the legs of his friend who was already hoisted onto the cross.