遺い書しょ

noun

note left by a dead person; suicide note; testamentary letter; will

A written message left in anticipation of death or found after death, often a suicide note or final instructions. For a formal legal will, 遺言書 is often the more precise word, but 遺書 can overlap with testamentary writing.

• 机つくえの上うえに遺い書しょが残のこされていた。

  A note from the deceased had been left on the desk.

• 彼かの女じょは家か族ぞくへの遺い書しょに感かん謝しゃの言こと葉ばを書かいた。

  She wrote words of thanks to her family in her final letter.

noun

posthumous work; writings left behind

Less common, literary or scholarly use for writings or a work left behind by someone after death. In ordinary modern Japanese, 遺著 is often clearer for a posthumous work.

• 文ぶん学がくの文ぶん脈みゃくでは、遺い書しょが死し後ごに残のこされた著ちょ作さくを指さすこともある。

  In a literary context, 遺書 can refer to a work left behind after someone's death.