Translation guide
Expressing the idea of allowing someone or something to die, either through inaction, neglect, or deliberate choice. Japanese uses different verbs and constructions depending on whether the death is caused by withholding help, abandoning to fate, or actively causing death.
To let someone die by not providing necessary care, help, or intervention.
Causative form of 死ぬ (to die), literally 'to let/make die'. Used when someone allows a death to happen through inaction or neglect.
彼は怪我人を助けずに死なせた。
He let the injured person die without helping.
Literally 'to see and kill', meaning to stand by and watch someone die without helping. Stronger moral condemnation.
彼は溺れている人を見殺しにした。
He stood by and let the drowning person die.
To abandon and let die. Emphasizes leaving someone without care.
病人を放置して死なせるのは犯罪だ。
Abandoning a sick person and letting them die is a crime.
To intentionally allow death, often to end suffering.
To euthanize, to let die peacefully. Used in medical or ethical contexts.
医者は患者を安楽死させることを決断した。
The doctor decided to let the patient die peacefully.
To let someone choose death. Implies giving the option to die.
彼は家族に死を選ばせた。
He let his family choose death.
To allow a living thing under one's care to die from lack of water, food, etc.
To let a plant wither and die. Transitive verb for plants.
水をやらなくて花を枯らしてしまった。
I let the flowers die by not watering them.
General causative for animals or pets. Can imply neglect or deliberate action.
To allow something non-physical to fade away or end.
To let something disappear or fade. Used for feelings, hopes, etc.
彼はその希望を消えさせた。
He let that hope die.
To let something end. More direct than 'let die' but conveys similar meaning.
彼は関係を終わらせた。
He let the relationship die.
Be careful not to confuse 死なせる (let die) with 死なれる (have someone die on you, passive of suffering). 死なれる expresses that someone's death affected you negatively.
彼に死なれて悲しい。
I am sad because he died (and it affected me).
殺す (ころす) means to kill directly and intentionally. 死なせる implies allowing to die, often through inaction or indirect means. The distinction is important in legal and moral contexts.
I let the dog die by not feeding it.