Meaning and Usage
The verb 絶える (たえる) primarily means "to cease," "to die out," or "to become extinct." It is often used to describe something that stops existing or continues no longer, such as a language, a family line, a natural resource, or a phenomenon.
Common Contexts
- Natural phenomena or resources disappearing (e.g., water, species).
- Family lines or traditions ending.
- Abstract concepts like hope or communication stopping.
Collocations and Patterns
- 絶える + こと (the event of ceasing)
- 絶える + まで (until it ceases)
- ～が絶える (something ceases)
Register and Nuance
This verb is formal and often found in written or formal spoken Japanese. It conveys a sense of finality and total cessation, often irreversible.
Common Learner Mistake
Do not confuse 絶える with 絶つ (たつ), which means "to cut off" or "to sever" and is a transitive verb. 絶える is intransitive, meaning the subject itself ceases or ends without an external agent causing it.