熄灭 (xī miè) — to go out (of fire, light, etc.); to be extingu…

Definition

熄灭 focuses on fire/light going out on its own or being put out — the physical sense. For extinction of species or abstract vanishing, use 灭绝 or 绝迹.

verb

to go out (of fire, light, etc.)to be extinguished(figurative) to die outto vanish

Easily confused

熄灭。
Lú zi lǐ de huǒ zhōng yú xī miè le.
The fire in the stove finally went out.
，熄灭。
Fēng yì chuī, là zhú jiù bèi xī miè le.
With a gust of wind, the candle was extinguished.
熄灭。
Tā de rè qíng bìng bú huì qīng yì xī miè.
His passion won't simply die out.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

熄xīextinguish

灭mièextinguish

熄 and 灭 both mean to stop burning; together they describe fire or light going 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.

火息熄

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

息

Same sound today

In 熄, the 火 part shows fire, and the 息 part gives the sound.

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.

Appears in