滅 meaning and stroke order
To extinguish; to wipe out
How to write 滅, stroke by stroke
13 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 滅
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to extinguish or put out
- to go out (of a fire etc)
- to exterminate or wipe out
- to drown
How 滅 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To extinguish a flame 烕 with water 氵; 烕 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 滅
滅 (miè) puts water 氵 next to 烕, a flame. Picture pouring water on a fire until it goes out, and you have "to extinguish."
滅 means to put out a fire or a light, and by extension to wipe something out completely. It appears mostly in compounds like 消滅 (xiāomiè), 滅絕 (mièjué) and 滅火 (mièhuǒ). Example: 他們很快就把火滅了。(Tāmen hěn kuài jiù bǎ huǒ miè le.) They put out the fire very quickly.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes confuse 滅 with 威 (wēi, power) or 減 (jiǎn, to reduce), which look similar. 減 has a different inner part and means to subtract, while 滅 means to destroy or put out. Also keep the fourth tone in miè and do not say mié.
Common words with 滅
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 消滅 | xiāomiè | to put an end to; to annihilate | HSK 6 |
| 毀滅 | huǐmiè | to perish; to ruin | HSK 7-9 |
| 滅絕 | mièjué | to become extinct; to die out; to lose (sth abstract) completely | HSK 7-9 |
| 滅亡 | mièwáng | to be destroyed; to become extinct; to perish; to die out; to destroy; to exterminate | HSK 7-9 |
| 殲滅 | jiānmiè | to wipe out; to crush | HSK 7-9 |
| 破滅 | pòmiè | to be shattered; to be annihilated (of hope, illusions etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 熄滅 | xīmiè | to stop burning; to go out (of fire) | |
| 滅火 | mièhuǒ | to extinguish a fire; firefighting | |
| 毀滅性 | huǐmièxìng | destructive; devastating | |
| 滅口 | mièkǒu | to kill sb to prevent them from divulging a secret; to silence sb | |
| 撲滅 | pūmiè | to eradicate; to extinguish | |
| 滅掉 | mièdiào | to eliminate | |
| 滅火器 | mièhuǒqì | fire extinguisher | |
| 自生自滅 | zìshēngzìmiè | to emerge and perish on its own; to run its course (idiom) |
Questions about 滅
How many strokes are in 滅?
滅 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 滅 mean?
滅 (miè) means to extinguish; to wipe out. A common word with it is 消灭 (xiāomiè), meaning "to put an end to; to annihilate".
How do you pronounce 滅?
滅 is pronounced miè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 滅?
The radical of 滅 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 滅 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 滅?
滅 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 灭, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the simplified form of 滅?
In simplified Chinese it is written 灭 (miè), a fire 火 with a line on top. That line suggests something pressing down to smother the flame. Mainland texts use 灭, while Taiwan and Hong Kong use 滅.
What is the difference between 熄滅 and 消滅?
熄滅 (xīmiè) is used for fire or lights that go out, like a candle or a lamp. 消滅 (xiāomiè) means to eliminate or annihilate, such as enemies, pests or disease. So you would say 燈熄滅了 but 消滅蚊子.