godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
Dated term for strangling someone to death. In modern Japanese, 絞め殺す is more common.
犯人は被害者を縊ったと供述した。
The suspect stated that he strangled the victim to death.
Standard kanji spelling for this dated verb.
Kana spelling is common in modern writing, especially since the kanji is rare.
Modern, common word for strangling to death. 縊る is dated and rarely used outside historical or literary contexts.
The historical derivation is uncertain. The kanji 縊 is conventionally associated with hanging or strangling.