Death in Japanese
"death" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
死
shi
3 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "death". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
死 is death plainly, and Japanese avoids writing it where English would. 忌 is mourning and the taboo around death. 寂 is the stillness of it, and it names the death of a priest. The number four is avoided because 四 and 死 sound alike.
Top pick
death, die
Reading: shi
6 strokes · dark, mysterious
Where it comes from
Composed of bone and person. A person reduced to bones - the dead.
What it carries
Death, end, impermanence. Japanese culture has aesthetics of 'falling' beautifully in death.
Related kanji for "death"
death
ki · peaceful, dark
Composed of self and heart. Heart disliking.
death
jaku · peaceful, dark
Composed of roof and uncle. Quiet house.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for death?
The most common kanji for "death" is 死, read as shi. It means death, die. Related kanji: 忌 (death), 寂 (death).
How many strokes does 死 have?
死 has 6 strokes.