壊滅・潰滅|かいめつkaimetsu[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
壊滅壊滅 is the most common written form and the one learners should normally choose when writing this word.
潰滅潰滅 is a rarely used kanji variant; learners will seldom see it and should generally choose 壊滅 instead.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verb(complete) destruction; annihilation; devastation
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 壊滅する（かいめつする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 壊滅します（かいめつします） |
| Negative (nai) | 壊滅しない（かいめつしない） |
| polite (masen) | 壊滅しません（かいめつしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 壊滅せず・壊滅せぬ（かいめつせず・かいめつせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 壊滅した（かいめつした） |
| polite (mashita) | 壊滅しました（かいめつしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 壊滅しなかった（かいめつしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 壊滅しませんでした（かいめつしませんでした） |
| Te form | 壊滅して（かいめつして） |
| Potential | 壊滅できる（かいめつできる） |
| Passive | 壊滅される（かいめつされる） |
| Causative | 壊滅させる（かいめつさせる） |
| Causative passive | 壊滅させられる（かいめつさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 壊滅すれば（かいめつすれば） |
| tara | 壊滅したら（かいめつしたら） |
| Volitional | 壊滅しよう（かいめつしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 壊滅しましょう（かいめつしましょう） |
| Imperative | 壊滅しろ（かいめつしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym破滅はめつWrittenWritten word for the utter ruin of a person's life or career, as in 「身の破滅」; 「壊滅」 is about organizations or regions being devastated by a blow.
- Synonym滅亡めつぼうWrittenWritten word for the fall or extinction of a nation or people, as in 「ローマ帝国の滅亡」; 「壊滅」 stresses being left in ruins after a devastating blow.
- Synonym破壊はかいNeutralNeutral word for destruction of any degree, as in 「環境破壊」; 「壊滅」 emphasizes a devastating, near-total blow.
- Related絶滅ぜつめつWrittenWritten word for the extinction of a species or total eradication, as in 「絶滅危惧種」; 「壊滅」 stresses being destroyed to the last.
- Related損壊そんかいWrittenWritten word for damage, as in 「建物損壊」; 「壊滅」 is far heavier, implying destruction down to nothing.
- Related壊すこわすNeutralNeutral verb for breaking or wrecking something; the most versatile of the group. 「壊滅」 is for the total destruction of organizations or regions.
- Related荒廃こうはいWrittenWritten word for ruin and decay, moral or physical, as in 「人心の荒廃」; 「壊滅」 is devastation from a blow.
- Related破局はきょくWrittenWritten word for a situation collapsing into a miserable end, or a romance or marriage falling apart; 「壊滅」 is a devastating blow to an organization or region.
- Related大破たいはWrittenWritten word for heavy damage or a crushing defeat, as in 「車が大破」; 「壊滅」 covers a wider range and is more thorough.
- Related潰すつぶすNeutralNeutral verb for crushing something or driving a business under, as in 「会社を潰す」; 「壊滅」 implies being wiped out entirely.
- Related粉砕ふんさいWrittenWritten word for pulverizing something or crushing an opponent, as in 「敵を粉砕」; 「壊滅」 stresses being wiped out.
- Related滅ぼすほろぼすWrittenWritten verb for bringing a country or group to ruin, as in 「国を滅ぼす」; 「壊滅」 names the state of being wiped out.
- Related取り払うとりはらうNeutralNeutral verb for removing or tearing something down, as in 「壁を取り払う」; 「壊滅」 is devastation from a blow.
- Related打ち壊すうちこわすCasualColloquial verb for smashing something up or overthrowing a system; 「壊滅」 is a written noun for near-total destruction.
- RelatedカタストロフィーWrittenWritten loanword for a catastrophe or tragic ending; 「壊滅」 points to the state of being all but wiped out.
- Relatedぶち壊すぶちこわすCasualColloquial verb for smashing something or ruining a mood or plan, as in 「雰囲気をぶち壊す」; 「壊滅」 is about outright devastation.
- Related毀つこぼつWrittenWritten, old-fashioned verb for damaging or destroying something; 「壊滅」 stresses complete devastation.
- Related撃滅げきめつWrittenWritten word for crushing and annihilating an enemy, as in 「敵を撃滅」; 「壊滅」 also covers damage from disasters.
- Related叩き壊すたたきこわすCasualColloquial verb for smashing something to pieces by striking it; 「壊滅」 is about organizations or regions being devastated.
- Relatedぶっ壊すぶっこわすCasualColloquial verb for smashing something violently or wrecking a plan; 「壊滅」 is a written noun.
- Antonym復興ふっこうWrittenWritten antonym for post-disaster recovery and rebuilding, as in 「震災復興」; it is the opposite of 「壊滅」 on the destruction-to-revival scale.
- Antonym再生さいせいNeutralNeutral antonym covering rebirth, regeneration and recycling; it is the opposite of 「壊滅」 on the destruction-to-rebirth scale.
- Antonym再建さいけんWrittenWritten antonym for rebuilding a structure or an organization; it is the opposite of 「壊滅」 on the destruction-to-rebuilding scale.
Use 「壊滅」 for an organization or region devastated by a blow, as in 「壊滅的な被害」 or 「組織を壊滅させる」. For the ruin of a person's life choose 「破滅」, for the fall of a nation 「滅亡」, and for destruction in general 「破壊」. 「絶滅」 is for species dying out, 「損壊」 for lesser damage, and 「撃滅」 or 「粉砕」 for crushing an enemy. 「打ち壊す」「ぶち壊す」「ぶっ壊す」「叩き壊す」 are colloquial verbs for smashing things up, while 「復興」 and 「再建」 stand on the opposite side — rebuilding after destruction.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
