死: the kanji for death and die
死 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means death, die. Below are its readings, 7 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
死 is written in 6 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
死 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 7 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
シ (shi)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 死亡しぼう · shibō | death |
| 必死ひっし · hisshi | desperate; frantic |
| 死者ししゃ · shisha | the dead; fatalities |
| 死角しかく · shikaku | blind spot |
| 生死せいし · seishi | life and death |
| 死去しきょ · shikyo | death (formal) |
しぬ (shinu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 死ぬしぬ · shinu | to die |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 締め切りに間に合うように、必死で働きました。Shimekiri ni maniau yō ni, hisshi de hatarakimashita.I worked frantically to meet the deadline.
- 運転するときは死角に注意してください。Unten suru toki wa shikaku ni chūi shite kudasai.Watch out for blind spots when you drive.
- 事故の死者はいませんでした。Jiko no shisha wa imasen deshita.There were no fatalities in the accident.
- 祖父は去年、九十歳で死去しました。Sofu wa kyonen, kyūjussai de shikyo shimashita.My grandfather passed away last year at the age of ninety.
- この植物は水がないと死んでしまいます。Kono shokubutsu wa mizu ga nai to shinde shimaimasu.This plant will die without water.
- この仕事は生死に関わる責任があります。Kono shigoto wa seishi ni kakawaru sekinin ga arimasu.This job carries life-and-death responsibility.
Questions about 死
How many strokes does 死 have?
死 is written in 6 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 死?
The on readings are shi (シ). The kun readings are shinu (しぬ).
How do you speak politely about someone's death in Japanese?
死ぬ (shinu) is direct. In polite speech, people say 亡くなる (nakunaru, to pass away). News and formal notices use 死去 (shikyo) or 逝去 (seikyo).
What JLPT level is 死?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Body and health
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 死
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.