生活英语|死亡

大家中国人一般都非常禁忌说死这个字，古时候根据等级的划分有天子死曰崩，诸侯死曰薨，医生死曰卒，士曰不禄，庶人曰死的说法，目前大家会说一个人离开了大家、走了等。英语同样忌言死，虽然有die这个词，但口语中大家一般不需要 die来直说死亡。

pass away和pass on都是暗指去世。例：Sadly, Georgias uncle passed away yesterday after a short illness；Im sorry to learn that your dear mother has just passed on。

lose ones life一般指因为意料之外事故、战争等不可抗力而导致的死亡，为意料之外死亡。例：How did he lose his life？

depart也是死亡的委婉说法，主要用于短语depart this life/depart this earth，意思是灵魂离开了肉体的存在去往另一个世界了。例：He departed this world with a sense of having fulfilled his destiny。

expire的意思是呼气，这里引申为呼出最后一口气，暗指死亡。例：The patient expired early this morning。

perish多指非自然死亡。例：Many soldiers perish in battle。

其他英语中常见的去世的委婉说法还有：

His time has come.

He has climbed the golden staircase.

He is sleeping the final sleep.

He is resting in peace.

He has breathed his last.

He answered the last number.

He has joined the angels.