Translation guide
The complete destruction or obliteration of something, often used in military, scientific, or figurative contexts. In Japanese, the concept is expressed through several words and phrases that differ in nuance, formality, and typical usage.
To express the total destruction of a physical entity, such as a city, army, or object, often in a violent or catastrophic manner.
Commonly used for the complete destruction or annihilation of a group, organization, or physical structure, especially in military or disaster contexts.
敵軍は壊滅した。
The enemy army was annihilated.
地震で町が壊滅した。
The town was annihilated by the earthquake.
Often used for the complete destruction or wiping out of a group, especially in military or gaming contexts. Implies total loss with no survivors.
A more formal or military term for annihilation, emphasizing complete extermination. Often used in historical or strategic contexts.
敵を殲滅する作戦が実行された。
An operation to annihilate the enemy was carried out.
Means extinction or disappearance, often used for abstract things like hopes, species, or legal entities. Can imply annihilation in a non-physical sense.
その種は消滅の危機にある。
The species is in danger of annihilation.
To describe the complete destruction of non-physical things like hopes, ideas, or identities.
Used for the disappearance or extinction of abstract concepts, rights, or possibilities.
彼の希望は消滅した。
His hopes were annihilated.
その権利は消滅した。
The right was annihilated.
Means eradication or rooting out, often used for diseases, social problems, or evil. Implies complete annihilation at the source.
To refer to the scientific process where a particle and its antiparticle collide and convert into energy.
The standard physics term for particle-antiparticle annihilation.
電子と陽電子が対消滅する。
An electron and a positron annihilate.
Sometimes used in physics contexts as a shorter form, but 対消滅 is more precise.
壊滅 (かいめつ) is general for destruction of structures or groups. 全滅 (ぜんめつ) emphasizes total loss with no survivors, common in games and military. 殲滅 (せんめつ) is formal/military for complete extermination. For everyday use, 壊滅 or 全滅 are safer choices.
While 無 (nothing) can be used in phrases like 無にする (to bring to nothing), it is not a natural equivalent for 'annihilation' in most contexts. Stick to the words above.
その都市は戦争中に壊滅に直面した。
The city faced annihilation during the war.
彼らは敵の完全な殲滅を求めた。
They sought the complete annihilation of their enemies.
テロを根絶する。
To annihilate terrorism.
粒子と反粒子の消滅。
Annihilation of a particle and antiparticle.