🌏 Region(s): Honshu (Standard)
こどくし【孤独死】 : kodokushi | define meaning
kodokushi
Definition
Noun
- "Solitary death" or "Lonely death": said of a person whose corpse has gone unnoticed for a long period of time due to the person's solitary lifestyle.
- (By extension) The stain left behind by a decomposing corpse that has gone unnoticed for a long period of time.
Etymology
Derived from こどく【孤独】 kodoku "solitude; isolation" and し【死】 shi "death".
Notes
Oftentimes, the corpse may have gone unnoticed for such a long time that, once removed, it leaves behind a dark stain outlining the the whole or part of the person's body. This stain has become visually representative of those who die alone.
The reasons behind such deaths may be multiple. For example, a person may have chosen to live a solitary life, they may no longer have any close family members or friends, or they may have actively chosen to die in solitude.
Spelling
| Orthography | Form |
|---|---|
| Kanji | 孤独死 |
| Kana | こどくし |
| Romanization | kodokushi |
意味：こどくし【孤独死】、こりつし【孤立死】、どっきょし【独居死】
Categories:
孤独死
Cite this entry: Read, Zachary. (2014, February 15). こどくし【孤独死】 : kodokushi | define meaning. JLect: Japonic Languages and Dialects Database. Retrieved 2025, December 14, from https://www.jlect.com/entry/3049/kodokushi/.