Explore 亡 in words about loss and departure. Learn each reading with a complete word and its context.

The idea

亡 has three strokes; follow the linked diagram. 亡くなる（なくなる） is a respectful way to say someone dies; 死亡（しぼう） is a formal noun. 亡命（ぼうめい） means exile and 滅亡（めつぼう） means downfall.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
亡くなるなくなるMy grandfather passed away last year.
死亡しぼうThe newspaper reported his death.
亡命ぼうめいThe artist went into exile in another country.
滅亡めつぼうWe studied the fall of an ancient kingdom.

Examples

  • 祖父そふは去年きょねん亡なくなりました。My grandfather passed away last year.
  • 彼女かのじょの母ははは彼女かのじょが幼おさない時ときに亡なくなりました。Her mother passed away when she was young.
  • 新聞しんぶんは彼かれの死亡しぼうを伝つたえました。The newspaper reported his death.
  • その芸術家げいじゅつかは別べつの国くにに亡命ぼうめいしました。The artist went into exile in another country.
  • 私わたしたちは古代こだいの王国おうこくの滅亡めつぼうを学まなびました。We studied the fall of an ancient kingdom.
  • 彼女かのじょは亡なき父ちちについて話はなしました。She spoke about her late father.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

亡くなる concerns death; なくなる can also be written 無くなる for something lost or gone. 亡命 does not mean death. Compare 亡 with 忘, which adds 心.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 亡くなる in hiragana.

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    なくなる

    亡くなる is read なくなる; it describes a person passing away.

  2. Write the reading of 死亡 in hiragana.

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    しぼう

    死亡 is read しぼう; newspapers may use this formal word for death.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿命（ぼうめい）［亡／忘］.

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    亡

    亡 completes 亡命（ぼうめい）, going into exile. 忘 is the kanji in 忘れる, to forget.

Use it today

Write 亡 using the diagram. Cover the table, read the four words aloud and make a sentence with one.