衰すい滅めつ

す

い

め

つ

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

decline; downfall; ruin

Refers to a gradual weakening and eventual collapse, often of a nation, organization, or system. Somewhat formal and literary.

その帝てい国こくは内ない乱らんによって衰すい滅めつした。
The empire declined and fell due to civil war.

長なが

年ねん

の

腐ふ

敗はい

が

組そ

織しき

の

衰すい

滅めつ

を

招まね

い

た

。

Years of corruption brought about the organization's downfall.

Kanji

衰decline, wane, weaken
滅destroy, ruin, overthrow

Similar words

衰すい退たい
衰退 is more common and neutral for 'decline'; 衰滅 emphasizes complete ruin or extinction.
滅めつ亡ぼう
滅亡 focuses on total destruction or extinction, while 衰滅 implies a process of weakening leading to ruin.

Etymology

Compound of 衰 (decline, weaken) and 滅 (destroy, perish). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally conveys gradual decline leading to ruin.