Euphemisms are pleasant，polite or harmless sounding words or expressions used to mask harsh，rude or infamous truths．Perhaps，in all cultures there seem to be certain notions or things that people try to avoid mentioning directly，though there are such terms in the language．When these notions or things have to be referred to，people tend to use words or expressions that sound better．These words or expressions are termed as euphemisms．

One of the terms that are universally avoided in verbal communication is“death” ．Even though it is well-known that death is the inevitable end of any living organism，human beings，generally，have a negative feeling toward it and try many words or expressions that can be used to refer to“death”or“die”indirectly．The following is a list of euphemisms that can be used to substitute“death”or“die” ．

abandon the world谢世;弃世　　　　　　　be in Abraham＇s bosom在天国

　be no longer with us不和我们在一起了　be no more殁了;不在了

　breathe one＇s last停止了呼吸;咽气　　close one＇s eyes闭眼;合眼

　cross the bar去世　　　　　　　　　　 decrease牺牲

　depart from life辞世;去世　　　　　　 depart from the world forever与世长辞

　end one＇s day天年已尽　　　　　　　　 expire断气;寿终

　go out of this world逝世　　　　　　　 go the way of all flesh上路了

　go to heaven去极乐世界　　　　　　　　go to sleep正寝;长眠

　go to the better world去太平极乐世界　 go to the beyond到了另一个世界

　go to the upper regions去天国;升天　　go west归西

　go走了;殁了　　　　　　　　　　　　　　lay down one＇s life献身;捐躯

　lose somebody失去某人　　　　　　　　　meet one＇s end遇难

　pass away过世　　　　　　　　　　　　　pass on去世

　pay the debt of nature了结尘缘　　　　 rest长眠

　return to dust入土　　　　　　　　　　 to kingdom come上天国

One＇s heart stopped beating．

　某人心脏停止了跳动。

One＇s life came to an end．

　某人生命走到了尽头。

This list contains only the commonly-used English euphemisms for“death”or“die” ．Let us take another term“pregnant”for example．English-speaking people would not like to use it in everyday English．We may find some euphemisms for it．

a lady-in-waiting待产的女人　　　　　　　　　a mother-to-be准妈妈;要做母亲的人

　to be big-bellied大肚子　　　　　　　　　　to be big with young怀有小生命

　to be going to have a baby要生娃娃了　　　 to be in the family way身子不方便

　to be in an interesting condition有孕在身　to be expecting怀孕

　to be in a delicate condition行动不方便　　to be baby-bound有孕

4．6. 1 General View to Euphemisms委婉语概述

4．6. 1　General View to Euphemisms委婉语概述