死ぬ

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 祖父が去年死にました。▶ —
   My grandfather died last year.
2. 電池が死んだ。▶ —
   The battery is dead.

Collocations

Mnemonic

死ぬ shinu — the ONLY -nu godan verb in Japanese (other godans end in -u, -tsu, -ru, -bu, -mu, -ku, -gu, -su, -w). Saying "person died" with 死ぬ is blunt; in polite speech use 亡くなる nakunaru ("pass away"). 死ぬ is fine for animals, devices, batteries.

Quick check

1. When a boss's grandfather has died, the polite phrasing is?

   • お祖父様がお亡くなりになりました (correct, honorific)
   • 上司のおじいさんは死にました (too blunt)
   • おじいさんが死んだ (casual + blunt)
   • 上司のおじさんは~ (おじさん is uncle, not grandfather)