noun
deceased friend
A somewhat formal or literary term for a friend who has passed away. Often used in eulogies, obituaries, or reflective writing.
亡き友を偲んで、この詩を捧げます。
I dedicate this poem in memory of my deceased friend.
彼は亡き友の遺志を継いで事業を続けた。
He carried on the business, following the wishes of his late friend.
故人 is a more general term for 'the deceased' or 'the late person', not limited to friends.
亡くなる is the verb 'to pass away'; 亡き is the classical attributive form used in set phrases like 亡き友.
Compound of 亡き (naki), the classical attributive form of 亡し (nashi, 'dead, deceased'), and 友 (tomo, 'friend'). The reading なきとも is a straightforward combination.