Japanese with Manga

Death and dying with

The kanji 死 means death, dead, or to die. It covers the end of life and what remains afterward.

It also has figurative uses. A 死角(しかく) is a blind spot, while 必死(ひっし) describes someone acting as if their life depended on it. These uses give 死 broader senses such as inactive, desperate, and fatal.

Etymology

死 is a phono-semantic compound. 歺, meaning bare bones or remains, carries the meaning, while 尸 supplied the sound in an early form. The bones tie 死 to death and the remains left when life ends.

Death

(Dead body)

死体(したい) refers to the body of a dead person or animal. It is blunt and clinical, so it can sound cold when used for a person.

It combines 死 (dead) with 体 (body) to show a dead body.

Manga panel from 名探偵コナン showing example of Furthermore, this room is too warm with さらに〜.
名探偵コナン » Volume 1 » Page 139

Upon walking in on a murder scene, Conan goes right to work making observations about the blood-covered body and its surroundings. He notes how the room is torn apart save for one upright chair beside the deceased.

コナン:
「さらに、暑(あつ)すぎるこの部屋(へや)…」
“Furthermore, this room is too warm...”
「死亡推定時刻(しぼうすいていじこく)をくるわせるためなのか…」
“Is it to confuse the estimated time of death...?”
「いや、まてよ…　それなら死体(したい)を水(みず)につけた方(ほう)が…」
“No, wait... If that's the case, it would be better to put the corpse in water...”
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(Cause of death)

死因(しいん) is the illness, injury, or event that caused someone to die. It is common in medical reports, police investigations, and legal records.

It combines 死 (death) with 因 (cause) to show the cause behind a death.

Manga panel from 名探偵コナン showing example of Determining the cause of death with 解剖.
名探偵コナン » Volume 16 » Page 25

Inspector Megure suggests the murder suspect committed suicide by drowning himself. The medical examiner disagrees.

監察医(かんさつい):
「ですが死因(しいん)は溺死(できし)ではありません…」
“However, drowning wasn't the cause of death...”
目暮(めぐれ):
「え？」
“What?”
監察医(かんさつい):
「解剖(かいぼう)してみないと断定(だんてい)できませんが…　おそらく毒物(どくぶつ)を飲(の)んだあと池(いけ)に入(はい)ったものと…」
“I can't say for certain without an autopsy... but it's likely he took poison and then entered the pond...”
View Full Example

(Drowning death)

溺死(できし) is death caused by drowning.

It combines 溺 (drown) with 死 (death) to show dying in water.

Manga panel from 名探偵コナン showing example of Determining the cause of death with 解剖.
名探偵コナン » Volume 16 » Page 25

Inspector Megure suggests the murder suspect committed suicide by drowning himself. The medical examiner disagrees.

監察医(かんさつい):
「ですが死因(しいん)は溺死(できし)ではありません…」
“However, drowning wasn't the cause of death...”
目暮(めぐれ):
「え？」
“What?”
監察医(かんさつい):
「解剖(かいぼう)してみないと断定(だんてい)できませんが…　おそらく毒物(どくぶつ)を飲(の)んだあと池(いけ)に入(はい)ったものと…」
“I can't say for certain without an autopsy... but it's likely he took poison and then entered the pond...”
View Full Example