(ほろ)ぼす

ほろぼす
verb (godan)
to destroy, to ruin, to annihilate
他動詞 transitivechangeaction
See also: (ほろ)びる (intransitive)
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present(ほろ)ぼす(ほろ)ぼさない
Present polite(ほろ)ぼします(ほろ)ぼしません
Past(ほろ)ぼした(ほろ)ぼさなかった
Past polite(ほろ)ぼしました(ほろ)ぼしませんでした
て form(ほろ)ぼして(ほろ)ぼさなくて
ている present(ほろ)ぼしている(ほろ)ぼしていない
ている polite(ほろ)ぼしています(ほろ)ぼしていません
ている past(ほろ)ぼしていた(ほろ)ぼしていなかった
ている past polite(ほろ)ぼしていました(ほろ)ぼしていませんでした
Conditional ば(ほろ)ぼせば(ほろ)ぼさなければ
Conditional たら(ほろ)ぼしたら(ほろ)ぼさなかったら
Volitional(ほろ)ぼそう
Volitional polite(ほろ)ぼしましょう
Potential(ほろ)ぼせる(ほろ)ぼせない
Passive(ほろ)ぼされる(ほろ)ぼされない
Causative(ほろ)ぼさせる(ほろ)ぼさせない
Imperative(ほろ)ぼせ(ほろ)ぼすな
1. to destroy, to ruin, to annihilate
To bring about the complete destruction or downfall of something, typically a nation, civilization, organization, or one's own well-being. Implies total and often irreversible destruction.
戦争(せんそう)(くに)(ほろ)ぼした。
War destroyed the nation.
(よく)()(ほろ)ぼすことある
Greed can sometimes ruin a person.
Oda Nobunaga destroyed many rival forces in his pursuit of national unification.

Usage

The transitive counterpart of (ほろ)びる (to perish, to be ruined). Carries a dramatic, weighty tone and is often used in historical, literary, or philosophical contexts.

The proverb (おご)(もの)(ひさ)しからず (()(ほろ)ぼす) — "the arrogant do not last long" — captures the common figurative usage about self-destruction through excess.

Common collocations