Japanese word

滅ぼす

Pronunciation

Romajihorobosu

Meaning

  • verbdestroy

Example

悪い習慣は健康を滅ぼします。waru i shū kan wa ken kō o horo bo shi ma su

Bad habits destroy your health.

Illustration for 滅ぼす (destroy)

More examples

無謀な経営が会社を滅ぼしました。mu bō na kei ei ga gai sha o horo bo shi ma shi ta

Reckless management ruined the company.

Core concept

Describes causing a person, system, or condition to lose the structure or strength that lets it continue.

Common phrases

  • 国を滅ぼすkuni o horo bo su

    destroy a nation

  • 身を滅ぼすmi o horo bo su

    ruin oneself

  • 王朝を滅ぼすō chō o horo bo su

    overthrow a dynasty

Similar words

壊すkowasu: To damage something so that it no longer works or keeps its original form.
破壊するhakaisuru: To destroy a physical object, system, or structure through force or severe damage.
絶やすtayasu: To make a living thing, custom, or source cease to exist or continue.
根絶するkonzetsusuru: To eliminate a harmful thing completely so that it cannot continue.

Definition in Japanese

人や物事を壊し、国や組織などを成り立たなくすること。hito ya mono goto o kowa shi kuni ya so shiki na do o na ri ta ta na ku su ru ko to

Word origin

滅ぼす (horobosu, "to destroy") is a native Japanese verb historically related to 滅ぶ (horobu, "to perish"), expressing the act of causing something to perish.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese, 滅ぼす (horobosu) applies beyond physical objects to targets such as health, trust, and a way of life, so it also describes serious abstract harm.

Other meanings

  • ruinverb
  • overthrowverb

Opposites

  • 興すokosuestablishverb

Word lists with this word