凍死

• Reading: とうし
• Romaji: toushi
• Kanji breakdown: 凍 (tou) — freeze, be frozen; 死 (shi) — death, die
• Pronunciation: /toː.ɕi/

Meaning

Death from cold; freezing to death. Dying due to exposure to extreme cold.

A noun and suru-verb (intransitive) used in news reports, medical contexts, and discussions about cold-weather dangers. Part of a group of cause-of-death compounds: 焼死 (shoushi, death by fire), 溺死 (dekishi, drowning), 餓死 (gashi, starvation). Appears in winter safety warnings and reports about mountaineering accidents or homelessness during cold spells.

Examples

1. 冬山で凍死する事故が毎年報告されている。 Accidents involving people freezing to death in the winter mountains are reported every year.
2. 路上生活者の凍死を防ぐための支援が必要だ。 Support is needed to prevent homeless people from freezing to death on the streets.
3. 遭難者は凍死寸前のところで救助された。 The stranded climber was rescued just before freezing to death.

Usage Guide

Context: news, medical, disaster reports

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 凍 (tou, freeze) + 死 (shi, death). Literally 'freeze death' — death caused by freezing temperatures.

Cultural Context

Era: Historical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal