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最期 (さいご, saigo) Japanese meaning: one's last moment | Kotomora

最さい期ご

さ

い

ご

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

one's last moment; one's death; one's end

Refers to the final moments of life, often with a dramatic or poignant nuance. Used both as a noun and adverbially (e.g., 最期に).

彼かれは最さい期ごまで家か族ぞくの名な前まえを呼よんでいた。

He was calling his family's names until his last moment.

最さい期ごに何なにを思おもうのだろうか。

I wonder what one thinks at the very end.

Usage patterns

最さい期ごを迎むかえるto meet one's end/death
彼かれは静しずかに最さい期ごを迎むかえた。
He met his end peacefully.
最さい期ごを遂とげるto meet a (tragic/violent) end
彼かれは非ひ業ごうの最さい期ごを遂とげた。
He met a violent, untimely death.
最さい期ごの言こと葉ばone's last words
彼かの女じょの最さい期ごの言こと葉ばは家か族ぞくへの感かん謝しゃだった。
Her last words were of gratitude to her family.
最さい期ごにat the very end (of one's life)
最さい期ごに彼かれは故こ郷きょうの景色けしきを思おもい出だした。
At the very end, he remembered the scenery of his hometown.

Kanji

最utmost, most, extreme
期period, time, date

Related words

臨りん終じゅうN1
臨終 is the more clinical/religious term for the moment of death, while 最期 carries a more literary, often dramatic nuance about how one's life ends.
死しに際ぎわ
死に際 focuses on the immediate verge of dying (the last struggle or words), whereas 最期 refers more broadly to the final moment or manner of one's death.
終しゅう焉えん
最期 refers narrowly to the exact moment of death, while 終焉 is broader and can describe the death itself or the end of an era.
末まつ路ろ
最期 refers specifically to the moment of death, while 末路 describes the broader tragic fate or downfall leading up to one's end.
終つい
最期 specifically means one's final moment or manner of dying, while 終 more broadly refers to the end of life itself.

Don't confuse with

最さい後ごN4
最後 and 最期 are both read さいご but 最後 means 'the last (one/time)' in a general sense, while 最期 specifically means 'one's dying moment'.
終おわりN5
終わり can euphemistically mean death in general, while 最期 specifically and dramatically refers to the exact moment of someone's death.
末まっ期きN1
最期 refers specifically to the moment of death, whereas 末期 covers the whole final stretch leading up to it.

Word family

非ひ業ごうの最さい期ご
unnatural death; violent death

Etymology

Composed of 最 (most/extreme) and 期 (period/time), literally 'the final period'. The specific meaning of 'deathbed' or 'last moments of life' is a semantic narrowing common in Japanese.