one's last moments; hour of death
A somewhat literary or solemn word for the final moments of life. Often used in fixed expressions like 今わの際 (いまわのきわ).
At the hour of his death, he called out his family's names.
I strained my ears not to miss his last words.
Kana-only spelling, matching usual-kana usage. This is the most common written form.
Full kanji spelling; rare and literary. Lists it but the word is normally written in kana.
The historical derivation is uncertain. The kanji 今 (now) and 際 (verge, occasion) are conventionally associated with the meaning 'the verge of the present life', but the exact origin of the reading いまわ is unclear.