Translation guide
A medical examination of a body after death to determine cause of death or study disease. In Japanese, the term varies by purpose and context, from clinical autopsies to forensic investigations.
Examination to confirm cause of death or study disease in a hospital setting.
Standard term for a clinical autopsy performed by a pathologist to study disease.
病理解剖の結果、死因は心不全だった。
The postmortem examination revealed the cause of death was heart failure.
General term for autopsy or dissection; can be used in medical contexts but also for animal dissection.
解剖の許可を家族に求めた。
They asked the family for permission to perform a postmortem examination.
Examination to investigate suspicious or unnatural deaths for legal purposes.
Forensic autopsy ordered by authorities to determine cause of death in criminal cases.
事件の後、司法解剖が行われた。
After the incident, a postmortem examination was conducted.
Broader term for death investigation, often used in legal contexts; can include external examination only.
Examination required by law for deaths from unknown causes, accidents, or disasters.
Autopsy performed under administrative authority when cause of death is unclear but no crime is suspected.
孤独死の場合、行政解剖が行われることがある。
In cases of solitary death, a postmortem examination may be performed.
Neutral or less clinical way to refer to a postmortem examination.
Literally 'post-death examination'; a more general and less technical term.
死後検査で薬物の有無を調べた。
A postmortem examination was done to check for drugs.
解剖 (autopsy) involves dissection, while 検死 (death investigation) may only involve external examination. In legal contexts, 司法解剖 is a type of 検死 that includes dissection.
Directly translating 'postmortem examination' as 死後試験 or similar is unnatural. Use the appropriate term based on context.
The postmortem examination revealed it was a homicide.