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Kotomora

滅

destroy, ruin, overthrow, perish

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • メツ

Kun'yomi

  • ほろ.びる
  • ほろ.ぶ
  • ほろ.ぼす

Meaning

滅 centers on complete destruction: something being ruined, overthrown, or perishing entirely. The water radical suggests extinguishing or washing away until nothing remains.

Most common words using 滅

20 of 125
  • 滅茶苦茶めちゃくちゃ
    N3

    absurd; unreasonable; nonsensical; preposterous; incoherent

  • 消滅しょうめつ
    N1

    extinction; extinguishment; disappearance; vanishing; termination; lapse

  • 絶滅ぜつめつ
    N3

    extinction; extermination

  • 全滅ぜんめつ
    N1

    total destruction; complete destruction; annihilation; being wiped out

  • 壊滅かいめつ

    (complete) destruction; annihilation; devastation

  • 滅ぼすほろぼす
    N1

    to destroy; to overthrow; to wreck; to ruin

  • 滅亡めつぼう
    N1

    downfall; ruin; collapse; destruction

  • 破滅はめつ
    N1

    ruin; destruction; fall

  • 滅多めった
    N1

    thoughtless; reckless; careless; rash

  • 滅ぶほろぶ

    to go to ruin; to go under; to fall; to be destroyed; to die out; to become extinct; to perish

  • 撲滅ぼくめつ
    N1

    eradication; extermination; destruction; suppression

  • 殲滅せんめつ

    annihilation; extermination; (total) destruction; wiping out

  • 点滅てんめつ
    N1

    switching on and off (of a light); flashing; blinking; flickering

  • 自滅じめつ
    N1

    self-destruction; ruining oneself

  • 滅多にめったに
    N3

    rarely; seldom

  • 滅びるほろびる
    N2

    to go to ruin; to go under; to fall; to be destroyed; to die out; to become extinct; to perish

  • 不滅ふめつ

    immortal; undying; indestructible

  • 死滅しめつ

    extinction; annihilation; destruction

  • 隠滅いんめつ

    destruction (esp. of evidence); spoliation; suppression

  • 幻滅げんめつ

    disillusionment; disillusion; disenchantment

Explore all words using 滅 →

Study

Etymology

滅 combines 氵 (water) with 烕, which itself contains 火 (fire) and 戈 (halberd/weapon). The character likely expresses destruction by water and weapon, extinguishing fire and life.

Meaning mnemonic

Water 氵 pours over the right side, which contains fire 火 and a weapon 戈. Imagine a flood and a weapon working together to destroy everything, leaving only ruin.

Reading mnemonic

For メツ, picture a mighty flood that destroys a city, and the sound of the rushing water is a deep 'metsu' roar: metsu -> メツ.