検死
kenshi[kẽ̞ɰ̃ɕi]
In Japanese, the word for autopsy can be expressed as 検死 (kenshi) or 解剖.
Meaning: a dissection performed on a cadaver (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 検死 | kenshi | [kẽ̞ɰ̃ɕi] (narrow) |
| 解剖 | kaibō | [ka̠ibo̞ː] (narrow) |
While 検死 focuses on the investigation of a death, 解剖 is a broader term for dissection that can apply to humans, animals or biological specimens.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 検死 is composed of the characters 検, meaning to examine or inspect and 死, meaning death.
Which one should you use?
検死 specifically refers to the legal investigation of a death to determine its cause. In contrast, 解剖 refers to the physical act of dissection and is a more general term for anatomical dissection.
How do you pronounce it?
kenshi
Did you know?
- While 検死 is the legal term for a post-mortem, the phrase 検視 (kenshi) is used for an external visual examination of a body without cutting it open.
- The character 解 in 解剖 also means 'to solve' or 'to untie', linking the act of physical dissection to the act of solving a mystery or a puzzle.
- Because 解剖 can apply to anything, it is also the term used when 'dissecting' a complex problem or a technical structure in a non-biological sense.
Examples in context
- 家族の同意のもと、死体解剖が行われました。Under the consent of the family, an autopsy was conducted.
- 検死の結果を待っています。kenshi no kekka o matte imasu.I am waiting for the autopsy results.
- 検死が行われる予定です。kenshi ga okonawareru yotei desu.An autopsy is scheduled to be performed.
- 検死が必要なケースもあります。kenshi ga hitsuyō na kēsu mo arimasu.There are cases where an autopsy is necessary.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a news report in a hospital office.
- 美咲 Misakiそのニュース、検死が行われるそうです。sono nyūsu, kenshi ga okonawareru sō desu.In that news, it seems an autopsy will be performed.
- 健太 Kenta原因を突き止める必要がありますね。gen'in o tsukitomeru hitsuyō ga arimasu ne.It is necessary to determine the cause.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんは、詳しい状況を知っていますか？Kenta-san wa, kuwashii jōkyō o shitte imasu ka?Kenta, do you know the detailed situation?
- 健太 Kentaいいえ、まだ何も聞いていません。iie, mada nani mo kiite imasen.No, I haven't heard anything yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “autopsy” translations and entries 検死, 解剖, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
