行方不明

Japanese

Kanji in this term
行	方	不	明
ゆ(く) Grade: 2	へ > え Grade: 2	ふ Grade: 4	めい Grade: 2
kun’yomi	irregular	goon	kan’on

Etymology

From 行方 (yukue, “one's whereabouts”) +‎ 不明 (fumei, “uncertainty”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ゆくえふ​めー [yùkúé fúꜜmèè] (Nakadaka – [4])
• IPA^(key): [jɯ̟ᵝkɯ̟ᵝe̞ ɸɯ̟ᵝme̞ː]

Noun

行(ゆく)方(え)不(ふ)明(めい) • (yukue fumei) ^{←ゆくへふめい (yukufefumei)?}

1. whereabouts unknown, unaccounted for, missing, lost
2. a method of tying a woman's hair without rolling into a bun

Derived terms

• 行(ゆく)方(え)不(ふ)明(めい)者(しゃ) (yukue fumei-sha, “missing person”)