Used as a noun referring to the act of dying or the state of death. Often appears in compounds or set phrases, and is the antonym of 生き (living).
Antonyms: 生き
When faced with death, a person comes to know their true self.
Used as a prefix (noun-prefix) to mean 'dead' or metaphorically 'useless, lifeless'. Common in compounds like 死に体 (dead body; losing posture in sumo) or 死に金 (dead money, wasted money).
Used as a prefix to express strong contempt or frustration, similar to 'damned' or 'bloody'. Often attached to nouns in colloquial, emphatic speech. This usage is somewhat dated or rough.
彼は死に場所を求めて旅に出た。
He set out on a journey in search of a place to die.
Rather than spending money wastefully, it's better to save for the future.
That player was already a dead man walking and couldn't put up a fight.
I'd rather quit gracefully than expose myself to such damned shame.
I don't want to end up in a godforsaken place like this.
premature death; dying young
one's last moments; on the point of death; on one's deathbed
death in battle; killed in action
place to die; place of death
die out; become extinct
accidental death; casualty
losing posture; irrecoverable falling position · lame duck · hopeless situation
be dying; be about to die; be close to death
moment of death; one's last moments
Derived from the continuative form (連用形) of the verb 死ぬ (しぬ, 'to die'). The prefix uses are extensions of the core meaning of death or lifelessness.
face of a dead person; death mask
starvation; starving to death
dying in vain; wasteful death
death by drowning; drowning death
person who escaped death; failed suicide · dotard; doddering old person; person who has outlived their time
dying by the roadside; dying a dog's death
dying of love; lovesickness death
posthumous disgrace; dishonor that outlives death · shame at the moment of death; dying in disgrace
way to die; means of dying · quality of one's death
time to die; one's appointed time of death
manner of death; way of dying