Meaning of 消灭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to put an end to
- to annihilate
- to cause to perish
- to perish
- annihilation (in quantum field theory)
How to use 消灭
消灭 is a strong verb for wiping out enemies, pests, diseases, or problems, often in news, history, and official language. It usually takes a direct object. Example: 我们要消灭蚊子。(Wǒmen yào xiāomiè wénzi.) We need to get rid of the mosquitoes.
Think of 消 (xiāo) as "to fade away" and 灭 (miè) as "to put out a fire": the fire 火 under a lid 一 is smothered. Make something fade and snuff it out, and you have wiped it out completely.
Common mistake: Learners often use 消灭 where 消除 (xiāochú) fits better. 消除 is for removing abstract things like misunderstandings or worries, while 消灭 means destroying something completely, often by force. Saying 消灭误会 sounds odd; say 消除误会.
消灭 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
消 xiāo · to diminish · 10 strokes
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- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 9
- 10
灭 miè · to extinguish or put out · 5 strokes
- 1
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- 4
- 5
Related words
Words that share a character with 消灭.
| 消息 | xiāoxi | (piece of) news; information; message |
| 消失 | xiāoshī | to disappear; to fade away |
| 取消 | qǔxiāo | to cancel; to call off; to revoke; to rescind |
| 消费 | xiāofèi | to consume (goods and services, resources etc) |
| 消化 | xiāohuà | to digest (food); (fig.) to absorb (information etc); to assimilate; to process |
| 消除 | xiāochú | to eliminate; to remove |
| 消防 | xiāofáng | firefighting; fire control |
| 消毒 | xiāodú | to disinfect; to sterilize |
| 消极 | xiāojí | negative; passive |
| 消费者 | xiāofèizhě | consumer |
| 消耗 | xiāohào | to consume; to use up; to deplete; to expend |
| 毁灭 | huǐmiè | to perish; to ruin |
Questions about 消灭
What does 消灭 mean?
消灭 (xiāomiè) means "to put an end to; to annihilate" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 消灭?
消灭 is made of 2 characters: 消 (10 strokes), 灭 (5 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 消灭 an HSK word?
Yes. 消灭 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 消灭 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 消灭 is written 消滅.
What is the difference between 消灭 and 消失?
消灭 means someone actively destroys something, and it takes an object. 消失 (xiāoshī) means something disappears by itself and takes no object, as in 他消失了 (He disappeared).
Can 消灭 be used casually, like finishing food?
Yes, in playful speech people say 把这盘菜消灭了 (bǎ zhè pán cài xiāomiè le), meaning "we wiped out this dish." It is a humorous use of a serious word.