未遂

• Reading: みすい
• Romaji: misui
• Kanji breakdown: 未 (mi) — not yet, incomplete; 遂 (sui/to) — to accomplish, carry through
• Pronunciation: /mi.sɯi/

Meaning

Attempted (but not completed); an abortive act. Used primarily in legal contexts to describe a crime that was attempted but not carried through.

A noun used in legal and medical discourse. Standard compounds include 殺人未遂 (satsujin misui, 'attempted murder'), 強盗未遂 (gōtō misui, 'attempted robbery'), and 自殺未遂 (jisatsu misui, 'attempted suicide'). The prefix 未 (not yet) combined with 遂 (to accomplish) literally means 'not yet brought to completion.'

Examples

1. 彼は殺人未遂で逮捕され、裁判にかけられた。 He was arrested for attempted murder and brought to trial.
2. 自殺未遂の後、彼女は専門家のもとで治療を受けた。 After her suicide attempt, she received treatment from a specialist.
3. 駅近くで強盗未遂事件が発生したと報道された。 It was reported that an attempted robbery occurred near the station.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, news reporting, criminal justice

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From 未 (mi) meaning 'not yet, incomplete' and 遂 (sui) meaning 'to accomplish, carry through.' The combination denotes an act that was attempted but not brought to completion.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal