余命いくばくもない · i-adjective
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 余命いくばくもない | 余命いくばくもなくない |
| Polite | 余命いくばくもないです | 余命いくばくもなくないですalso 余命いくばくもなくありません |
| Past polite | 余命いくばくもなかったです | 余命いくばくもなくなかったですalso 余命いくばくもなくありませんでした |
| Past | 余命いくばくもなかった | 余命いくばくもなくなかった |
| Te-form | 余命いくばくもなくて | 余命いくばくもなくなくて |
| Adverbial | 余命いくばくもなく | |
| Conditional | 余命いくばくもなければ | 余命いくばくもなくなければ |
| Tara conditional | 余命いくばくもなかったら | 余命いくばくもなくなかったら |
having little time left to live; one's days are numbered
Used to describe someone who is terminally ill or very old and not expected to live much longer. Often carries a solemn or literary tone.
The doctor told him he had little time left to live.
My grandfather, whose days are numbered, is spending his remaining time peacefully surrounded by family.
余命 means 'remaining life' or 'life expectancy' as a noun, while 余命いくばくもない is a set phrase meaning 'having little time left to live'.
命短し is a classical expression meaning 'life is short', often used in poetry or proverbs, whereas 余命いくばくもない specifically refers to a person's limited remaining time.
Standard modern spelling using hiragana for いくばく.
Kanji spelling for いくばく; less common but still seen.
Rare ateji spelling using 幾許 for いくばく.
Composed of 余命 (remaining life) + いくばく (how much, how many) + も (even) + ない (not). The phrase literally means 'there is not even much remaining life', i.e., one has very little time left to live.