亡くす|なくすnakusu[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N2approx.Common
Definitions
  1. godan verb, transitive verbto lose (through death; e.g. a wife, child)
    息子むすこを亡なくした夫婦ふうふに誰だれもが同情どうじょうした。↗
    Everyone sympathized with the parents about their son's death.
Conjugation
Dictionary form亡くす(なくす)
Polite (masu)亡くします(なくします)
Negative (nai)亡くさない(なくさない)
polite (masen)亡くしません(なくしません)
classical zu / nu亡くさず・亡くさぬ(なくさず・なくさぬ)
Past (ta)亡くした(なくした)
polite (mashita)亡くしました(なくしました)
Past negative (nakatta)亡くさなかった(なくさなかった)
polite (masen deshita)亡くしませんでした(なくしませんでした)
Te form亡くして(なくして)
Potential亡くせる(なくせる)
Passive亡くされる(なくされる)
Causative亡くさせる(なくさせる)
Causative passive亡くさせられる(なくさせられる)
Conditional (ba)亡くせば(なくせば)
tara亡くしたら(なくしたら)
Volitional亡くそう(なくそう)
polite (mashou)亡くしましょう(なくしましょう)
Imperative亡くせ(なくせ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Transitive / intransitive pair
transitive亡くすなくす⇄intransitive亡くなるなくなる
家族かぞくを亡なくす
亡くなる focuses on the person who dies, treating their death as an event that occurs. 亡くす focuses on the bereaved, treating the death as a loss they suffer.

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym失ううしなうNeutralA broad 'lose' verb covering things as well as people; 「亡くす」 is narrower, used for losing someone close, such as family or friends, to death.
  • Related死に別れるしにわかれるNeutralDescribes being parted from a loved one by death, focusing on the separation itself; leans toward written prose.

Use 「亡くす」 for losing family or friends to death, as in 「父を亡くす」「友人を亡くす」. For losing in general — things or people — pick 「失う」; 「死に別れる」 frames death as a parting and suits written prose.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. (亡なくす)近親者きんしんしゃに死しなれる。
Kanji in this word
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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