Japanese word

全滅

Pronunciation

Romajizenmetsu

Meaning

  • nouncomplete destruction

Example

寒さで野菜が全滅しました。samu sa de ya sai ga zen metsu shi ma shi ta

The vegetables were wiped out by the cold.

Illustration for 全滅 (complete destruction)

More examples

病害虫が広がり、苗が全滅しました。byō gai chū ga hiro ga ri nae ga zen metsu shi ma shi ta

The seedlings were wiped out as pests and diseases spread.

Core concept

Describes a state in which every member or part of a group is lost, leaving nothing behind.

Common phrases

  • ほぼ全滅ho bo zen metsu

    almost complete destruction

  • 全滅状態zen metsu jō tai

    state of complete destruction

Similar words

壊滅kaimetsu: A state of severe damage that leaves an organization, region, or group unable to function.
絶滅zetsumetsu: The disappearance of every member of a species or population, with no living members remaining.
根絶konzetsu: The complete elimination of a harmful thing, such as a disease, pest, or harmful practice.

Definition in Japanese

対象となるものが残らず失われること。tai shō to na ru mo no ga noko ra zu ushina wa re ru ko to

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese compound 全滅 (zenmetsu) combines 全 (zen, "whole") and 滅 (metsu, "perish"), expressing the complete loss of an entire group or set.

Usage tips

  • The word applies to crops, supplies, and teams as well as people, so it often describes something being lost in its entirety rather than merely reduced.

Opposites

Word lists with this word