1.
to end one's life; to take one's own life; to kill
To bring about death, either one's own or another's. When used reflexively (自ら命を絶つ), it is a euphemism for suicide. Can also refer to killing another person or creature.
自ら命を絶った。
He took his own life.
若くして命を絶たれた。
His life was cut short at a young age.
多くの兵士が戦場で命を絶たれた。
Many soldiers lost their lives on the battlefield.
A literary and euphemistic expression for death. The construction 自ら命を絶つ is a standard euphemism for suicide in Japanese news reporting and formal contexts.
PATTERNS:
- 自ら命を絶つ: to take one's own life (suicide)
- 命を絶たれる: to have one's life taken (passive; killed by another)
- 若い命を絶つ: to end a young life
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 自殺する: to commit suicide — the direct, clinical term
- 命を落とす: to lose one's life — neutral; does not imply intent
- 命を奪う: to take someone's life — implies forceful killing by another