滅 (miè) - To extinguish & to put out (fire)

滅Tone 4

miè ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

妙慕

滅 · miè

To extinguish;

to put out (fire);

to destroy;

to eliminate;

to perish;

to die out.

To extinguishto put out (fire)to destroy

Usage highlights

Extinguish fireBecome extinctDestroy annihilateEliminate wipe outDie out perishExtinguisher

Synonyms

  • 熄— to extinguish (fire)
  • 毁— to destroy
  • 消— to eliminate

Antonyms

  • 生— to be born; to live
  • 燃— to burn
  • 存— to exist

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Firefighters extinguished the blaze (灭火).
  • Many species face extinction (灭绝).
  • The flood destroyed the village (毁灭村庄).
  • He eliminated all his enemies (消灭敌人).

Collocations

  • Extinguish fire(灭火)
  • Become extinct(灭绝)
  • Destroy annihilate(毁灭)
  • Eliminate wipe out(消灭)
  • Die out perish(灭亡)
  • Extinguisher(灭火器)

Idioms

  • Destroy the evidence(灭迹)
  • Wipe out the entire family(灭门)
  • Destroy one's own prestige(灭自己威风)
  • Cannot be extinguished(不可磨灭)
  • Annihilate the enemy(灭此朝食)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Associated with concepts of destruction, elimination, and cessation in Chinese philosophy.
  • Often used in historical contexts describing the fall of dynasties or destruction of states.
  • In Buddhist context, refers to nirvana (涅槃) as extinction of suffering.

FAQ