滅 destroy, ruin, overthrow, perish 13 strokes jōyō, taught in secondary school old JLPT 1 #1222 in newspapers Readings Onメツ Kunほろ.びる、ほろ.ぶ、ほろ.ぼす In Chinese 灭, traditional 滅 Words written with it 絶滅 ぜつめつ extinction N3 消滅 しょうめつ extinction 滅多に めったに rarely N3 壊滅 かいめつ (complete) destruction 撲滅 ぼくめつ eradication 破滅 はめつ ruin 隠滅 いんめつ destruction (esp. of evidence) 滅びる ほろびる to go to ruin N1 滅亡 めつぼう downfall N1 全滅 ぜんめつ total destruction N1 滅ぼす ほろぼす to destroy N1 滅多 めった thoughtless