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N4

Kanji 死: meanings, readings, and example words.

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Kanji 死: death, die

Key takeaways

Kanji 死: death, die. Readings and core meaning.

See vocabulary and examples below.

Kanji at a glance

N4

Meaning

deathdie

On reading

Kun reading

し.ぬし.に-

Radical

Core meaning / core image

Core meaning: 死

death, die

Kanji structure breakdown

Structure breakdown

歹 + 匕

Mnemonic story

Mnemonic story

The radical 歹 represents skeletal remains or death. When combined with 匕, which here depicts a person lying down, it visualizes the state of death where only the bones of a person remain.

On'yomi and kun'yomi

On reading

  • death / passing away

  • 死刑しけい

    death penalty / capital punishment

  • 生死せいし

    life and death

  • 死体したい

    dead body / corpse

  • 死亡しぼう

    death / passing away

  • 必死ひっし

    desperation / frantic effort

  • 死ぬしぬ

    to die

Kun reading

し.ぬ
  • 死ぬしぬ

    to die

Commonly used words

  • death / passing away

  • 死刑
    しけい

    death penalty / capital punishment

  • 生死
    せいし

    life and death

  • 死体
    したい

    dead body / corpse

  • 死亡
    しぼう

    death / passing away

  • 必死
    ひっし

    desperation / frantic effort

  • 死ぬ
    しぬ

    to die

Example sentences

Example 1

彼のは悲しいニュースです。

Translation

His death is sad news.

Example 2

について考えることは大切です。

Translation

Thinking about death is important.

Example 3

刑は日本でとても珍しいです。

Translation

The death penalty is very rare in Japan.

Example 4

その事件で刑が宣告されました。

Translation

The death penalty was sentenced in that case.

Kanji 死: death, die | Daily Nihongo