崩ほうじる

ほ

う

じ

る

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

to die (of the emperor, etc.)

rare term

Rare, formal, and archaic verb used specifically for the death of an emperor or similarly exalted person. In modern Japanese, 崩御する or 亡くなる are used instead.

古ふるい記き録ろくには「天皇てんのうが崩ほうじた」と書かかれている。
Old records say 'the emperor passed away' using the verb 崩じる.

崩crumble, die, demolish

Similar words

崩ほう御ぎょ
Modern respectful noun for the death of an emperor; 崩御する is the standard expression, while 崩じる is archaic.
亡なくなる
General polite verb for 'to die'; used for ordinary people, unlike 崩じる which is restricted to emperors.

Etymology

Derived from 崩 (ほう, 'collapse, die (of an emperor)') + じる (verb-forming suffix). The exact historical development is uncertain, but it belongs to a small set of archaic honorific verbs for imperial death.