剿灭 (jiǎo miè) — to wipe out, to exterminate (enemy, bandits, pests)

Definition

A formal/written verb meaning 'to wipe out or exterminate' (enemy forces, bandits, pests). Stronger and more literary than 消灭, and almost always takes hostile targets.

verb
to wipe outto exterminate (enemy, bandits, pests)

Examples

  • 剿灭。
    Zhèng fǔ jūn chè dǐ jiǎo miè le zhè gǔ tǔ fěi.
    The government forces completely wiped out this band of bandits.
  • 剿灭。
    Tā men yòng le sān nián shí jiān jiǎo miè le jìng nèi de pàn luàn.
    It took them three years to wipe out the rebellion within the borders.
  • 剿灭。
    Zhè zhǒng hài chóng bì xū bèi chè dǐ jiǎo miè.
    This type of pest must be completely exterminated.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

剿jiǎosuppress
灭mièdestroy

剿 (suppress) and 灭 (destroy) together mean to wipe out.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
巢
巢cháo剿chāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

剿 is made from 巢, which supplies the sound, and 刂, the knife form of 刀.

Open 剿 →

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 →

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