不ふ帰きの客きゃくとなる

ふ

き

の

きゃ

く

と

な

る

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ru)

pass away; depart this life

idiomatic expression

A literary, euphemistic idiom for dying. The phrase literally means 'become a guest who does not return', evoking a journey from which one does not come back.

祖そ父ふは静しずかに不ふ帰きの客きゃくとなった。
My grandfather quietly passed away.

不

negative, non-, bad

帰homecoming, arrive at, lead to

客guest, visitor, customer

Similar words

亡なくなる
The most common neutral/polite verb for 'to die'. 不帰の客となる is much more literary and euphemistic.
逝せい去きょする
A formal, respectful term for death, often used in obituaries. 不帰の客となる is more poetic and less bureaucratic.

Etymology

From classical Chinese literary usage. 不帰 (fuki) means 'not returning', and 客 (kyaku) is 'guest'. The phrase paints death as a guest who departs and never comes back.