滅ぼす

• 読み: ほろぼす
• ローマ字: horobosu
• 漢字の分解: 滅 (horo/metsu) — to destroy, extinguish, bring to ruin
• 発音: /ho.ɾo.bo.sɯ/

意味

To destroy; to overthrow; to wreck; to ruin; to bring to ruin. The transitive counterpart of 滅びる, describing the act of causing destruction.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb. While 滅びる describes something perishing on its own, 滅ぼす focuses on the agent causing the destruction. Common in historical narratives about conquests, as well as environmental and philosophical discussions about humanity's destructive potential.

例文

1. 侵略者がその国を滅ぼした。
2. 環境破壊が人類を滅ぼすかもしれない。
3. 独裁者は反対勢力を滅ぼそうとした。

使い方ガイド

場面: history, warfare, environment

トーン: dramatic

起源と歴史

Transitive form derived from 滅ぶ/滅びる by adding the causative す ending. The kanji 滅 has Buddhist origins meaning 'to extinguish,' later extended to destruction of nations and peoples.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal