Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

餓死寸前 (がしすんぜん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

餓が死し寸すん前ぜん

が

し

す

ん

ぜ

ん

Meanings

1

noun

on the verge of starvation; about to starve

Describes a critical state of extreme hunger, often used hyperbolically or in serious contexts such as famine or poverty.

遭そう難なん者しゃは餓が死し寸すん前ぜんの状じょう態たいで発はっ見けんされた。
The survivor was found on the verge of starvation.
給きゅう料りょう日び前まえで、餓

が

死し

寸すん

前ぜん

だ

よ

。

I'm about to starve before payday.

Kanji

餓starve, hungry, thirst
死death, die
寸measurement, tenth of a shaku, a little
前in front, before

Similar words

飢き餓が
飢餓 refers to famine or starvation as a general condition, while 餓死寸前 specifically means being on the brink of death from starvation.
餓が死し
餓死 means death from starvation; 餓死寸前 is the state just before that death.

Etymology

Compound of 餓死 (starvation death) and 寸前 (just before). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the word is a transparent combination of its parts.