灭亡 (miè wáng) — to perish, to become extinct, to die out; to de… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

灭亡 (mièwáng) describes a whole group or system — a species, civilization, or nation — perishing or being destroyed. Stronger and more total than 灭绝 (often for species) and more literary than 消灭.

verb

to perishto become extinctto die outto destroyto exterminate

Examples

灭亡。
Zhè ge gǔ lǎo de wén míng zuì zhōng miè wáng le.
This ancient civilization eventually perished.
灭亡。
Zhàn zhēng miè wáng le zhěng gè chéng shì.
The war destroyed the entire city.
，灭亡。
Rú guǒ bù bǎo hù huán jìng, hěn duō dòng wù huì miè wáng.
If we don't protect the environment, many animals will become extinct.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

灭mièdestroy

灭 (destroy) and 亡 (perish) together mean gone or destroyed.

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.

氵烕滅

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.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The shape originally marked a knife's cutting edge with a line.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Abstract Concepts

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.