noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
Refers to taking one's own life, typically by a weapon. More formal and less common in everyday speech than 自殺, and often used in historical or dramatic contexts.
彼は刀で自害した。
He took his own life with a sword.
戦国時代には、敗れた武将
In the Warring States period, defeated commanders often committed suicide.