滅(ほろ)びる

ほろびる
verb (ichidan)
to perish, to be destroyed
See also: 滅(ほろ)ぼす (transitive)
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present滅(ほろ)びる滅(ほろ)びない
Present polite滅(ほろ)びます滅(ほろ)びません
Past滅(ほろ)びた滅(ほろ)びなかった
Past polite滅(ほろ)びました滅(ほろ)びませんでした
て form滅(ほろ)びて滅(ほろ)びなくて
ている present滅(ほろ)びている滅(ほろ)びていない
ている polite滅(ほろ)びています滅(ほろ)びていません
ている past滅(ほろ)びていた滅(ほろ)びていなかった
ている past polite滅(ほろ)びていました滅(ほろ)びていませんでした
Conditional ば滅(ほろ)びれば滅(ほろ)びなければ
Conditional たら滅(ほろ)びたら滅(ほろ)びなかったら
Volitional滅(ほろ)びよう—
Volitional polite滅(ほろ)びましょう—
Potential滅(ほろ)びられる滅(ほろ)びられない
Passive滅(ほろ)びられる滅(ほろ)びられない
Causative滅(ほろ)びさせる滅(ほろ)びさせない
Imperative滅(ほろ)びろ滅(ほろ)びるな
1. to perish, to be destroyed, to fall to ruin
For a civilization, nation, species, or entity to come to an end, be destroyed, or cease to exist entirely.
文明(ぶんめい)が滅(ほろ)びる。
A civilization perishes.
その王国(おうこく)は戦争(せんそう)によって滅(ほろ)びた。
That kingdom was destroyed by war.
環境(かんきょう)を守(まも)らなければ、多(おお)くの生物(せいぶつ)が滅(ほろ)びてしまうだろう。
If we don't protect the environment, many species will likely perish.

TRANSITIVITY: 自動詞(じどうし) (intransitive). Pattern: Xが滅(ほろ)びる.

TRANSITIVE PAIR: 滅(ほろ)ぼす (to destroy, to annihilate).

USAGE:
滅(ほろ)びる describes large-scale destruction or extinction — civilizations falling, species dying out, kingdoms collapsing. It is not used for small everyday things breaking. The word carries a literary, dramatic tone.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 国(くに)が滅(ほろ)びる: a country falls
  • 文明(ぶんめい)が滅(ほろ)びる: a civilization perishes
  • 種(しゅ)が滅(ほろ)びる: a species goes extinct

RELATED EXPRESSION:
滅亡(めつぼう)する is the する-verb equivalent meaning "to perish/be annihilated," often used in news and historical writing.

general
Added 2026.2.11 18:22 · Revised 2026.4.11 11:03
10500/10881_horobiru