滅ほろびる

ほ

ろ

び

る

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

滅びる · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	滅ほろびる	滅ほろびない
Polite	滅ほろびます	滅ほろびません
Past polite	滅ほろびました	滅ほろびませんでした
Past	滅ほろびた	滅ほろびなかった
Te-form	滅ほろびて	滅ほろびないで
Desire	滅ほろびたい	滅ほろびたくない
Potential	滅ほろびられるalso 滅ほろびれる	滅ほろびられないalso 滅ほろびれない
Passive	滅ほろびられる	滅ほろびられない
Causative	滅ほろびさせる	滅ほろびさせない
Causative passive	滅ほろびさせられる	滅ほろびさせられない
Volitional	滅ほろびよう
Polite volitional	滅ほろびましょう
Imperative	滅ほろびろ	滅ほろびるな
Conditional	滅ほろびれば	滅ほろびなければ
Tara conditional	滅ほろびたら	滅ほろびなかったら

Pairs with滅ぼす

Meanings

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

perish; be destroyed; die out; go to ruin

Intransitive verb describing the complete end of a nation, civilization, species, or way of life. Often carries a dramatic or literary tone.

その古こ代だい文ぶん明めいは謎なぞのまま滅ほろびた。
That ancient civilization perished, leaving behind a mystery.
恐きょう竜りゅうは約やく6600ろくせんろっぴゃく万まん年ねん前まえに滅ほろびた。
The dinosaurs died out about 66 million years ago.

See all 24 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉が滅ほろびるfor a country or civilization to perish
かつて栄さかえたその王おう国こくもついに滅ほろびた。
Even that once-prosperous kingdom eventually perished.
〈事こと〉で滅ほろびるto perish because of something
多おおくの文ぶん明めいが戦せん争そうで滅ほろびた。
Many civilizations perished because of war.

Kanji

滅destroy, ruin, overthrow
亡deceased, the late, dying

Transitive / intransitive

滅ほろぼすN1
滅ぼす is the transitive verb 'to destroy (something)', while 滅びる is intransitive 'to perish'.

Related words

絶ぜつ滅めつN3
絶滅する is the technical term for species extinction, while 滅びる is broader and can describe the fall of nations, cultures, or civilizations.
消しょう滅めつN1
消滅する means 'to vanish/disappear' and is often used for abstract things like rights or effects, while 滅びる specifically implies ruin or destruction of something once thriving.
崩ほう壊かいN1
崩壊する emphasizes structural collapse (of a system, building, or society), whereas 滅びる focuses on the final extinction or end of existence.
滅ほろぶ
滅びる is the everyday ichidan verb meaning the same thing, while 滅ぶ is the godan equivalent with a slightly more literary or archaic feel.

Opposites

繁はん栄えいN1
繁栄する means 'to flourish/prosper', the direct opposite of 滅びる 'to perish/go to ruin'.
生いき残のこる
滅びる means to be destroyed or become extinct, the opposite of 生き残る in the sense of an entity continuing to exist.

Don't confuse with

滅ほろぶ
滅ぶ is an older godan-conjugation form with the same meaning as 滅びる, and learners often mix up which conjugation pattern to use.

Word family

滅ほろびゆく
perishing; disappearing; dying out

Written forms

滅ほろびるUsage79%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
亡ほろびるUsage12%
Alternate kanji form; less common than 滅びる.
ほろびるUsage9%

Etymology

Derived from classical verb 滅ぶ (ほろぶ), with the intransitive suffix びる indicating a change of state. The kanji 滅 carries the meaning of destruction or extinction.