死
shi[ɕi]
The English word 'death' is translated into Japanese as 死 (shi). Wiktionary also lists 死亡 (shibō).
Meaning: cessation of life (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 死 | shi | [ɕi] (narrow) |
| 死亡 | shibō | [ɕibo̞ː] (narrow) |
死 refers to the cessation of life. In colloquial speech, you may encounter the expression 死にそう, which is used hyperbolically to mean 'to be about to die' or 'to feel like dying,' such as when one is incredibly bored or uncomfortable.
Which one should you use?
While 死 is the general concept of death, 死亡 is a more formal term used in medical, legal or official contexts to report a person's death. Additionally, the related term 死神 refers to the personification of death.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 死 is derived from the verb 死ぬ, which is the standard way to express the action of dying.
How do you pronounce it?
shi
Did you know?
- The word 死 is a homophone for the number 'four', which is why the number four is considered unlucky in Japan and often avoided in hospitals and hotels.
- While 死 is the noun, Japanese has many specific verbs for dying depending on the status of the person, such as 崩御 for the death of an emperor.
- Japanese uses the term 死に体 meaning 'dead body' metaphorically to describe a person or organization that is still functioning but has lost all power.
Examples in context
- 彼は凍死した。He was frozen to death.This sentence is useful for showing how 死 is used in the context of dying from cold.Tatoeba #101784 by bunbuku, translation #301909 by CK
- 凍え死にそう。I'm freezing to death.This sentence demonstrates the colloquial, hyperbolic use of 死 to express the sensation of freezing.Tatoeba #10171338 by small_snow, translation #8805646 by DJ_Saidez
- 退屈で死にそう。I'm bored to death.This sentence shows the hyperbolic use of 死 to express extreme boredom.Tatoeba #3556187 by tommy_san, translation #2210798 by Hybrid
- 彼は亡くなった後、死を超えた世界へ行ったAfter he passed away, he went to the world beyond death.
- 国民の偉大な指導者が逝去しましたThe nation's great leader has passed away.
- あの有名な俳優が突然死亡したThat famous actor suddenly died.
- おじいちゃんは昨夜亡くなりましたGrandpa passed away last night.
- 彼女は病気と闘った後、静かに旅立ちましたAfter fighting the illness, she peacefully embarked on her journey.
- 152 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are talking about a character in a novel.
- 結衣 Yuiこの物語の結末はどうなるの？Kono monogatari no ketsumatsu wa dou naru no?How does this story end?
- 蓮 Ren主人公の死が描かれているよ。Shujinkou no shi ga egakarete iru yo.The death of the protagonist is depicted.
- 結衣 Yuiそんなに悲しい話なの？Sonna ni kanashii hanashi nano?Is it that much of a sad story?
- 蓮 Renとても切ない結末だよ。Totemo setsunai ketsumatsu dayo.It is a very heartbreaking ending.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “death” translations and entries 死, 死亡, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
