死にそうな
shinisōna
The English phrase 'dying' in Japanese is 死にそうな (shinisōna). Wiktionary also lists 消えそうな (kiesōna) and 瀕死の (hinshi no).
Meaning: approaching death (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 死にそうな | shinisōna |
| 消えそうな | kiesōna |
| 瀕死の | hinshi no |
Which one should you use?
死にそうな is more descriptive of an appearance or a feeling of imminent death. 消えそうな is used when the 'dying' refers to something fading away, such as a flame, a light or a person's presence/consciousness, rather than the biological process of death itself. 瀕死の is a more formal, clinical or literary term used to describe a person or creature in a state of near death.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this as a predicate at the end of a sentence (e.g., 'He looks like he is dying'), you drop the final な and use 死にそう instead of 死にそうな.
How do you pronounce it?
shinisōna
When do people say it?
お悔やみ申し上げます is a phrase used to express sympathy meaning 'I offer my condolences'. ご冥福をお祈りいたします is a phrase used to express sympathy meaning 'May they rest in peace'.
Did you know?
- In casual speech, Japanese speakers often avoid the direct word for 'dying' to avoid bad luck. They may use euphemisms like 旅立つ ('to set off on a journey') to describe someone who is passing away.
- When using 死にそう, the phrase can actually mean 'I am about to die' from a first-person perspective, often used hyperbolically to mean 'I am exhausted' or 'I am dying of hunger'.
- The formal term 瀕死 uses a character meaning 'the shore', framing the state of being 'dying' as standing on the bank of a river.
Examples in context
- 彼は昨夜亡くなりました。He passed away last night.
- おじいさんが逝去しました。My grandfather has died.
- 猫がバタッちまった。The cat kicked the bucket.
- 死にそうな顔をしないで。Shiniso na kao o shinaide.Don't look like you're dying.
- 死にそうなほどお腹が空いた。Shiniso na hodo onaka ga suita.I am so hungry I feel like I'm dying.
- 彼は死にそうなほど疲れている。Kare wa shinoso na hodo tsukarete iru.He is exhausted, looking almost as if he were dying.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are talking about a very sick pet.
- 陽太 Yotaあの子、死にそうな顔をしているよ。Ano ko, shinoso na kao o shite iru yo.That little one looks like he's dying.
- 陽葵 Himari本当だ、すごく苦しそう。Hontou da, sugoku kurushisou.You're right, he looks like he's in a lot of pain.
- 陽太 Yotaすぐに病院に連れて行こう。Sugu ni byouin ni tsurete ikou.Let's take him to the vet immediately.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太さん、準備はできた？Youta-san, junbi wa dekita?Youta, are you ready?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dying” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
