Which one should you use?
While 死んだ can be used for animals or objects, using it for humans in a social setting can come across as blunt, insensitive or even rude.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase 亡くなった is a much more polite and respectful way to say someone has died than the blunt 死んだ. Another formal way to express dead in Japanese is 亡くなった. The formal term 他界した is used when someone passes away, particularly in the context of obituaries or official announcements. The informal term 逝ってしまった is used to express dead in a more euphemistic way.
How does it change in a sentence?
The dictionary form of the verb is 死ぬ, which is the base from which the past tense 死んだ is derived. The form 死んでいる is used to describe the ongoing state of being dead, whereas 死んだ often emphasizes the completed action of dying.
How do you pronounce it?
shinda
Did you know?
- While an English speaker might say 'the battery is dead', using 死んだ for a machine or battery in Japanese can sound strangely personified, as if the object itself has passed away.
- The formal term 他界した literally means 'to go to another world', reflecting a traditional belief in a spiritual realm beyond this life.
- In Japanese Buddhism, the word for 'dead' or 'died' is often replaced by terms like 入滅 (nyūmetsu), which literally means 'to enter extinction' to denote the passing of a high-ranking monk.
Examples in context
- トムは死んだ。Tom is dead.This sentence is useful for stating that Tom is dead.Tatoeba #2060576 by bunbuku, translation #1868217 by CK
- 彼は十年前に死んだ。He has been dead for ten years.This sentence is useful for stating how many years have passed since someone died.Tatoeba #104357 by bunbuku, translation #299334 by CK
- 死んだ魚が水面に浮かんできた。The dead fish floated to the surface of the water.This sentence is useful for describing a dead fish.Tatoeba #13894351 by small_snow, translation #9506996 by AlanF_US
- 彼は昨日死んだHe died yesterday.
- お祖母さんが亡くなったMy grandmother passed away.
- 有名な歌手が他界したA famous singer passed away.
- 信じられない！彼は事故で死んじゃったんだI can't believe it! He died in an accident!
- おばあちゃんが先日逝ってしまったんだMy grandmother passed away the other day.
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A young couple is looking at an old photo album.
- 大翔 Hirotoこの猫、もう死んだの？Kono neko, mou shinda no?Is this cat already dead?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、ずっと前に死んだよ。Un, zutto mae ni shinda yo.Yes, it died a long time ago.
- 大翔 Hirotoそうなんだ、残念だね。Sou nanda, zannen da ne.I see, that's a shame.
- 結衣 Yuiとても可愛かったから、寂しいよ。Totemo kawaikatta kara, sabishii yo.It was very cute, so I miss it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dead” translations and entries 死んだ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
