HSK · Level 104
45 words
Chinese word
毁灭
Pronunciation
Pinyinhuǐ miè
Meaning
- verbdestroy
Example
一颗小行星可能会毁灭地球。yì kē xiǎo xíng xīng kě néng huì huǐ miè dì qiú
A small asteroid might destroy Earth.
More examples
错误的政策可能会毁灭一个国家的经济。cuò wù de zhèng cè kě néng huì huǐ miè yí gè guó jiā de jīng jì
Wrong policies may destroy a country's economy.
Core concept
A thing is removed so completely that no working or lasting form remains.
Common phrases
彻底毁灭chè dǐ huǐ miè
thoroughly destroy
被毁灭bèi huǐ miè
be destroyed
毁灭文明huǐ miè wén míng
destroy civilization
Similar words
破坏pò huài: Damage an object or building so that its shape or function is harmed.
摧毁cuī huǐ: Smash something through force or attack until it can no longer function.
消灭xiāo miè: Remove an enemy, pest, or disease-causing germ completely so it no longer exists.
Definition in Chinese
彻底破坏，使事物消失或不复存在。chè dǐ pò huài shǐ shì wù xiāo shī huò bú fù cún zài
Word origin
毁灭 (huǐmiè, "to destroy completely") combines 毁 (huǐ, "to destroy") with 灭 (miè, "to extinguish"), giving the image of something being broken down and put out of existence.
Usage tips
- In conversation, this verb has a dramatic, large-scale force and commonly suits the total loss of life, a city, or a world rather than a minor break.