灭种 (miè chóng) — to commit genocide; to exterminate a race; to become extinct; to die out (of a species or race)

Definition

灭种 covers both intentional extermination of a people ('commit genocide') and the natural disappearance of a species or culture ('die out'). Pair it with 种族灭绝 (formal term for genocide).

verb
to commit genocideto exterminate a raceto become extinctto die out (of a species or race)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Hěn duō dòng wù zhǒng lèi yǐ jīng miè le zhǒng.
    Many animal species have already become extinct.
  • 灭种。
    Qīn lüè zhě shì tú miè chóng zhěng gè mín zú.
    The invaders attempted to commit genocide on the entire nation.
  • 灭种。
    Zhè zhǒng dú tè de wén huà zhèng zài màn màn miè chóng.
    This unique culture is slowly dying out.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

灭mièdestroy
种zhǒngrace

灭 means to destroy, and 种 refers to a race or species, yielding extinction or extermination of a race.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 滅; 灭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
烕
烕miè滅miè
Same sound today

The traditional form 滅 pairs 氵 (water) with 烕 as a sound part to mean extinguish by water; the simplified 灭 is a later shorthand.

Open 灭 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
中
中zhōng种zhǒng
Same sound today

种 pairs 禾, which shows rice or grain and fits meanings like plant and seed, with 中, which gives its sound.

Open 种 →

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