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.
登山者が消息不明になった。
A mountain climber has gone missing.
台風の後、まだ三人が消息不明のままだ。
Three people are still unaccounted for after the typhoon.
彼は十年前に家を出たきり消息不明で、家族は今も手がかりを探し続けている。
He has been missing ever since he left home ten years ago, and his family continues to search for clues.
Composed of 消息 (news, word, tidings) and 不明 (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:
- 消息不明になる: to go missing
- 消息不明のまま: still missing
- 消息不明者: missing person
- 消息不明の状態: state of being unaccounted for
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 行方不明: missing — the most common general term for a missing person; used more broadly than 消息不明
- 安否不明: safety unknown — focuses on whether a person is safe or not, common in disaster reporting
- 音信不通: out of contact — emphasizes the loss of communication rather than physical disappearance