死于非命

死於非命

sǐyúfēimìng

idiom #20,603

Meanings

1 to die a violent or unnatural death
2 to meet an untimely end
3 to die in an accident or by violence

Characters

not / non- / abnormal

life / fate / destiny

Examples

那位年轻的演员不幸死于非命。

Nà wèi niánqīng de yǎnyuán bùxìng sǐ yú fēi mìng.

That young actor unfortunately died an untimely, violent death.

战乱年间，无数无辜百姓死于非命。

Zhànluàn niánjiān, wúshù wúgū bǎixìng sǐ yú fēi mìng.

During the years of war, countless innocent people died violent deaths.

Tips

memory

Literally: 'to die (死) at (于) not-fate (非命).' 非命 means an unnatural fate — death that was not supposed to come naturally. The idiom emphasizes that the death was violent, accidental, or caused by others, not by old age.

Stroke Order

死 sǐ

于 yú

非 fēi

命 mìng