死ぬ
shinu[ɕinɯ̟]
The phrase "to die" in Japanese is expressed by the verb 死ぬ (shinu).
The verb 死ぬ is used to mean to stop living. It is an intransitive verb, which means it does not take a direct object in a sentence.
Which one should you use?
While 死ぬ is the direct way to say "to die", 亡くなる is a much more polite and euphemistic way to say "to pass away" when referring to someone else.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of 死ぬ is 死んだ. The polite form of the verb is 死にます.
How do you pronounce it?
shinu
When do people say it?
When expressing condolences to someone, it is customary to use the phrase ご愁傷さまです, which means "I'm sorry for your loss."
Did you know?
- While 死ぬ is the basic verb, Japanese has a separate, highly specialized set of words for 'dying' depending on whether the person was a noble, a monk or a commoner.
- The verb 死ぬ can be used as a slang intensifier to mean 'extremely'. For example, 疲れて死ぬ might be used to say someone is 'dead tired'.
- The suffix in 死ぬ shares a history with the word for 'to pass' or 'to disappear', subtly linking death to the act of vanishing.
Examples in context
- 死ぬもんか。I'm not going to die.This sentence shows the use of 死ぬ to express a strong refusal to die.Tatoeba #3507341 by arnab, translation #1891042 by CK
- 死ぬのが怖い。I'm afraid to die.This sentence shows how to express a fear of 死ぬ.Tatoeba #168166 by huizi99, translation #7114508 by CK
- 死ぬかと思った。I thought I was going to die.This sentence shows the use of 死ぬ to describe a close call or a feeling of near-death.Tatoeba #11709171 by small_snow, translation #1780086 by Spamster
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a character in a movie.
- 結衣 Yuiあの主人公は死ぬの？Ano shujinkou wa shinu no?Does the protagonist die?
- 健太 Kentaうん、結末は悲しいよ。Un, ketsumatsu wa kanashii yo.Yeah, the ending is sad.
- 結衣 Yui健太くんは泣かないの？Kenta-kun wa nakanai no?Aren't you going to cry, Kenta?
- 健太 Kentaあまり泣かないよ。Amari nakanai yo.I won't cry much.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 死ぬ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 死ぬ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
