godan verb (iku/yuku class), intransitive verb
be dying; be nearing death
Describes the process of approaching death, often with a literary or emotive feel. The ゆく reading of 行く adds a sense of gradual progression.
彼は静かに死にゆく人を見守った。
He watched over the person who was quietly dying.
死にゆく星の最
The final glow of a dying star.
亡くなる is a polite euphemism for 'to pass away', whereas 死にゆく is more direct and descriptive, often used in narrative or poetic contexts.
Standard modern spelling; the ゆく reading of 行く is common in literary or emotive contexts.
Kanji spelling using 行く; less common than 死にゆく but still encountered.
Uses the kanji 逝く (to pass away), giving a more solemn or euphemistic tone; rare in modern writing.
Compound of 死に (continuative form of 死ぬ 'to die') + ゆく (literary variant of 行く 'to go'), literally 'to go dying'. The ゆく form is an older, often more emotive or literary reading of 行く.