玉ぎょく砕さい

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

honorable death; death without surrender; honorable defeat

Originally a military term for choosing death over surrender; now used metaphorically for a noble but crushing defeat, often with a sense of tragic glory.

• 彼かれらは最さい後ごまで戦たたかい、玉ぎょく砕さいした。

  They fought to the end and died an honorable death.

• その作さく戦せんは玉ぎょく砕さいに終おわった。

  The operation ended in an honorable defeat.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

utter defeat; complete rejection

Colloquial extension: trying hard but failing spectacularly, or being totally rejected in a romantic confession. Often used self-deprecatingly or humorously.

• 告こく白はくしたら見み事ごとに玉ぎょく砕さいした。

  I confessed my love and was completely shot down.

• 試し験けんに玉ぎょく砕さいして、また来らい年ねん頑がん張ばる。

  I failed the exam miserably, but I'll try again next year.