1.
deathbed; one's final moments; dying
The time just before death; one's last moments of life.
臨終に立ち会う。
Be present at someone's deathbed.
祖父の臨終に間に合わなかった。
I didn't make it in time for my grandfather's final moments.
臨終の際に家族に囲まれていた。
He was surrounded by family at the time of his passing.
医師が臨終を告げると、病室は静まり返った。
When the doctor announced the passing, the hospital room fell completely silent.
臨 (to face, to be present at) + 終 (end). A solemn word describing the moment of approaching death. Originally a Buddhist term referring to the final moments before entering the next life.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 臨終に立ち会う: be present at someone's deathbed
- 臨終を迎える: face one's final moments
- 臨終を告げる: announce someone's passing
- 臨終の言葉: last words
- 臨終に間に合う: make it in time for someone's final moments
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 最期: one's final moments, death — more literary and emotional
- 死に際: the verge of death — emphasizes the boundary between life and death
- 往生: passing away (Buddhist) — implies a peaceful death and rebirth in paradise
USAGE:
A formal and respectful word. Commonly heard in hospital settings when a doctor informs family members of a patient's passing. The phrase 臨終に立ち会う (to be present at someone's deathbed) is considered important in Japanese culture.