How to say "death" in Japanese

• 死しJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounThe plain, neutral word for death itself. Use it when simply stating, asking about, or discussing a death, in both speech and writing.
  人ひとは生うまれるやいなや、死しに向むかう。↗

  As soon as man is born, he begins to die.
• 死亡しぼうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbDeath and dying as officially recorded or reported: this is the wording of documents, certificates, news reports and mortality statistics, not of everyday conversation.
  我々われわれは彼かれの死亡しぼうのニュースにショックを受うけた。↗

  We were shocked at the news of his death.
• 没ぼつCommon
  noun, noun (suffix)Essentially a written element rather than a word used on its own, appearing in set expressions and dates marking a person's death; seldom the word you want for simply saying 'death'.
• 死去しきょCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA formal word for a person's death or passing away, typical of written announcements and obituaries; not how you would ordinarily refer to death in conversation.
  ノーベル賞のーべるしょう受賞者じゅしょうしゃ湯川ゆかわ博士はかせは１９８１年ねんに死去しきょした。↗

  Dr. Yukawa, the Nobel prize winner, died in 1981.
• 終焉しゅうえんCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA literary word framing death as a final end or demise, with a solemn, often dramatic tone; it treats dying as the closing moment of a life rather than a bare fact.

Use 死 for death as a plain fact, 死亡 in official and written contexts, 死去 for formal announcements of a person's passing, 終焉 for a literary sense of death as a final end; 没 only in written set expressions.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 死しdeath
• 死亡しぼうdeath
• 没ぼつdeath
• 死去しきょdeath
• 終焉しゅうえんend (of life)
• 他界たかいdeath
• 逝去せいきょdeath
• 死没しぼつdeath
• 物故ぶっこdeath (of a person)
• 辞世じせいpassing away
• 倒れたおれcollapse
• デスdeath
• 死神しにがみgod of death
• 絶命ぜつめいend of life
• 崩御ほうぎょdeath (of an emperor)
• 亡ぼうdeath
• ポアdeath
• 死出しでdeath (and entering the hereafter)
• 召天しょうてんdeath (of a Christian)
• 薨去こうきょdeath (of a nobleman, Imperial family member, etc.)
• 棄世きせいdeath
• 卒去しゅっきょdeath (of a noble, etc.)
• 長逝ちょうせいdeath
• 遷化せんげdeath (of a high priest)
• 帰幽きゆうdeath
• 薨こうdeath (of a nobleman, etc.)
• 永逝えいせいdeath
• シュテルベンdeath
• 死ぬほどしぬほどto death (bored, scared, etc.)
• ﾀﾋdeath
• 入滅にゅうめつentering Nirvana
• 死にしにdying
• 落命らくめいlosing one's life
• 絶息ぜっそくexpiry
• 死出の旅しでのたびone's last journey
• 永遠の眠りえいえんのねむりeternal slumber
• お隠れおかくれpassing away
• 人的損失じんてきそんしつloss of life
• 蓋棺がいかんclosing a coffin
• 永眠えいみんeternal sleep
• 死地しち(nearly certain) death
• 終わりおわりend of (one's) life
• 不幸ふこうdeath (usu. of a relative)
• 眠りねむりdeath
• 往生おうじょうdeath
• 生死せいしdeath
• 涅槃ねはんdeath
• 天上てんじょうascending to heaven
• 昇天しょうてんdeath
• 物化ぶっかdeath
• 寂滅じゃくめつdeath
• 入定にゅうじょうdeath (of a high-ranking priest)
• 遠逝えんせいdeath
• 般涅槃はつねはんdeath
• 隠れかくれpassing away
• 終ついend of life
• 遠行えんこうdying
• 滅めつnirvana
• 卒そつdeath (of a noble, etc.)