Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
亡命 (ぼうめい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
defection ; seeking asylum ; political exile
Refers to leaving one's country for political reasons, often to escape persecution or oppression. Can be used as a noun or with する to mean 'to defect' or 'to go into exile'.
その 作さっ 家か は 政せい 治じ 的てき な 迫はく 害がい を 逃のが れ て 亡ぼう 命めい を 選えら ん だ 。
The writer chose exile to escape political persecution.
Kanji 亡 deceased, the late, dying Similar words 難なん 民みん 難民 is a general term for 'refugee', often fleeing war or disaster, while 亡命 specifically implies political defection or asylum-seeking.
移い 民みん 移民 is a neutral term for 'immigrant' or 'emigrant', without the political connotation of 亡命.
Etymology From Chinese 亡命 (wángmìng), literally 'lose life' or 'flee for one's life', originally meaning to escape danger. In modern Japanese, it specifically refers to political defection or exile.
