断气 (duàn qì) — to breathe one's last, to die (of a person)

Definition

Literally 'cut off breath', used for a person actively dying or just dead — more graphic and final than passing away. Colloquial and direct, so avoid it in formal writing or for respected elders.

verb

to breathe one's lastto die (of a person)

Examples

断气。
Lǎo rén yǐ jīng kuài yào duàn qì le.
The old man is about to breathe his last.
，。
Bìng rén zuó wǎn duàn le qì, yī shēng jìn lì le.
The patient passed away last night; the doctors did everything they could.
，。
Tā yīn wèi zhòng bìng, bàn yè lǐ duàn le qì.
Due to a severe illness, he breathed his last in the middle of the night.

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