族ぞく滅めつ

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

extermination of a whole family; putting an entire family to death

Historical term for a punishment in which an entire family or clan was executed, typically in pre-modern East Asian contexts. Rare in modern usage outside historical or literary references.

• 古こ代だい中ちゅう国ごくでは、重じゅう罪ざいに対たいして族ぞく滅めつが科かされることがあった。

  In ancient China, extermination of the whole family was sometimes imposed for serious crimes.

• その武ぶ将しょうは反はん逆ぎゃくの罪つみで族ぞく滅めつされた。

  The warlord and his entire family were put to death for treason.