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故人 (こじん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N2 Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Meanings 1
noun
the deceased ; the departed
A respectful or formal noun for a person who has died. Often used when speaking about the person with consideration, as in 故人をしのぶ or 故人の遺志.
い
志し
を
受う
け
継つ
ぎ
たい
と
思おも
っ
て
い
ます
。
We hope to carry on the wishes of the departed.
2
noun
old friend ; longtime acquaintance
dated term
Dated use meaning an old friend or long-standing acquaintance. In modern Japanese, 旧友 or 古い友人 is normally used instead; 故人 is now overwhelmingly understood as 'the deceased.'
Kanji 故 happenstance, especially, intentionally Similar words 死し 者しゃ A more direct, neutral word for a dead person; 故人 is often more respectful or memorial in tone.
亡な くなった 方かた A polite descriptive phrase meaning 'the person who passed away'; softer and more conversational than the noun 故人.
旧きゅう 友ゆう The normal modern word for 'old friend'; use this instead of the dated 'old friend' sense of 故人.
Etymology A Sino-Japanese compound read こじん, written with 故, associated with what is past or former, and 人, 'person.' The spelling fits both the modern meaning 'deceased person' and the older sense 'old acquaintance'; this is a component explanation rather than a precise historical derivation.
