消息不明(しょうそくふめい)

しょうそくふめい
noun
missing; whereabouts unknown
formalwrittensociety
1. missing; whereabouts unknown; unaccounted for
The state of having no information about a person's location or condition. Used in news reports, missing persons cases, and disaster contexts.
登山者(とざんしゃ)が消息不明(しょうそくふめい)になった。
A mountain climber has gone missing.
台風(たいふう)の後(あと)、まだ三人(さんにん)が消息不明(しょうそくふめい)のままだ。
Three people are still unaccounted for after the typhoon.
彼(かれ)は十年前(じゅうねんまえ)に家(いえ)を出(で)たきり消息不明(しょうそくふめい)で、家族(かぞく)は今(いま)も手(て)がかりを探(さが)し続(つづ)けている。
He has been missing ever since he left home ten years ago, and his family continues to search for clues.

Composed of 消息(しょうそく) (news, word, tidings) and 不明(ふめい) (unknown, unclear). A four-character compound frequently used in news reports about disasters, missing persons, and accidents. Functions as both a noun and an adjectival phrase with の.

Usage

Often appears with になる (to go missing) or のまま (still missing). In news coverage of natural disasters, the phrase is standard for reporting people whose fate is unknown, as distinct from those confirmed dead.

Common collocations

  • 消息不明(しょうそくふめい)になる: to go missing
  • 消息不明(しょうそくふめい)のまま: still missing
  • 消息不明(しょうそくふめい)者(しゃ): missing person
  • 消息不明(しょうそくふめい)の状態(じょうたい): state of being unaccounted for

Similar words

  • 行方不明(ゆくえふめい): missing — the most common general term for a missing person; used more broadly than 消息不明(しょうそくふめい)
  • 安否不明(あんぴふめい): safety unknown — focuses on whether a person is safe or not, common in disaster reporting
  • 音信不通(おんしんふつう): out of contact — emphasizes the loss of communication rather than physical disappearance

Related Words

Compare: 行方不明(ゆくえふめい) (missing)
Compare: 音信不通(おんしんふつう) (out of contact)
general
Added 2026.4.20 20:18 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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