行方不明(ゆくえふめい)

ゆくえふめい
noun, adjective-na
missing, whereabouts unknown
1. missing, whereabouts unknown, unaccounted for
A state in which a person's location is unknown and they cannot be contacted. Frequently used in news reports about disasters, accidents, and missing persons cases.
息子(むすこ)が行方不明(ゆくえふめい)になった。
My son has gone missing.
台風(たいふう)のあと、まだ三人(さんにん)が行方不明(ゆくえふめい)のままだ。
After the typhoon, three people are still unaccounted for.
警察(けいさつ)は行方不明(ゆくえふめい)になった女性(じょせい)の情報(じょうほう)を広(ひろ)く呼(よ)びかけている。
The police are making a broad appeal for information about the missing woman.

Compound of 行方(ゆくえ) (whereabouts) + 不明(ふめい) (unknown). Functions as both a noun and a na-adjective. Extremely common in news reports about disasters, accidents, and missing persons.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 行方不明(ゆくえふめい)になる: to go missing
  • 行方不明(ゆくえふめい)者(しゃ): missing person
  • 行方不明(ゆくえふめい)届(とどけ): missing person report
  • 行方不明(ゆくえふめい)のまま: still missing

GRAMMAR:

  • As noun: 行方不明(ゆくえふめい)になった人(ひと) (a person who went missing)
  • As na-adjective: 行方不明(ゆくえふめい)な状態(じょうたい) (a state of being missing)

RELATED TERMS:

  • 失踪(しっそう): disappearance (more deliberate connotation)
  • 行方(ゆくえ): whereabouts
  • 安否(あんぴ)不明(ふめい): safety unknown (used in disaster reports)
general
Added 2026.2.27 19:11 · Revised 2026.3.31 12:18
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