絶滅|ぜつめつzetsumetsu[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbextinction; extermination
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verberadication; stamping out; wiping out
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 絶滅する（ぜつめつする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 絶滅します（ぜつめつします） |
| Negative (nai) | 絶滅しない（ぜつめつしない） |
| polite (masen) | 絶滅しません（ぜつめつしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 絶滅せず・絶滅せぬ（ぜつめつせず・ぜつめつせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 絶滅した（ぜつめつした） |
| polite (mashita) | 絶滅しました（ぜつめつしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 絶滅しなかった（ぜつめつしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 絶滅しませんでした（ぜつめつしませんでした） |
| Te form | 絶滅して（ぜつめつして） |
| Potential | 絶滅できる（ぜつめつできる） |
| Passive | 絶滅される（ぜつめつされる） |
| Causative | 絶滅させる（ぜつめつさせる） |
| Causative passive | 絶滅させられる（ぜつめつさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 絶滅すれば（ぜつめつすれば） |
| tara | 絶滅したら（ぜつめつしたら） |
| Volitional | 絶滅しよう（ぜつめつしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 絶滅しましょう（ぜつめつしましょう） |
| Imperative | 絶滅しろ（ぜつめつしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym絶えるたえるNeutralNeutral verb for ceasing or dying out, as in 「血筋が絶える」; 絶滅 usually refers to the extinction of species.
- Synonym根絶こんぜつWrittenWritten word for thoroughly eradicating something by human effort, such as disease or crime; 絶滅 focuses on species disappearing.
- Synonym滅亡めつぼうWrittenWritten word for the fall of a nation or people; 絶滅 is mostly for the extinction of biological species.
- Synonym滅びるほろびるNeutralNeutral verb for decline and ruin, used mainly of nations and civilizations; 絶滅 is the more biological term.
- Synonym死滅しめつWrittenWritten, scientific term for bacteria, cells and the like dying off completely; 絶滅 is about a species vanishing.
- Synonym絶やすたやすNeutralNeutral transitive verb for cutting something off, as in 「火を絶やさない」, often used in the negative; 絶滅 is a noun.
- Synonym死に絶えるしにたえるNeutralNeutral verb for a whole line or kind dying out completely; more vivid than the neutral, objective 絶滅.
- Related壊滅かいめつWrittenWritten word for suffering a devastating blow or total annihilation, as in 「壊滅的な被害」; not limited to living things.
- Related廃絶はいぜつWrittenWritten word for institutions, nuclear weapons and the like being abolished, as in 「核廃絶」; the object is not a living thing.
- Related滅ぶほろぶNeutralNeutral godan verb meaning the same as 「滅びる」, as in 「国が滅ぶ」; 絶滅 usually refers to species extinction.
- Antonym繁殖はんしょくNeutralNeutral word for breeding and propagation; the direct opposite of 絶滅.
「絶滅」 is the default for species going extinct. Use 「根絶」 for eradicating disease or crime, 「廃絶」 for abolishing weapons or institutions, 「壊滅」 for a devastating blow, and 「滅亡」/「滅びる」/「滅ぶ」 for the fall of a nation. 「死滅」 suits cells or bacteria; 「絶やす」 is the transitive verb; 「絶える」 and 「死に絶える」 describe lines or kinds dying out; 「繁殖」 is the antonym.
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
