滅(ほろ)ぼす

ほろぼす
verb (godan)
to destroy, to ruin, to annihilate
他動詞 transitivechangeaction
See also: 滅(ほろ)びる (intransitive)
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present滅(ほろ)ぼす滅(ほろ)ぼさない
Present polite滅(ほろ)ぼします滅(ほろ)ぼしません
Past滅(ほろ)ぼした滅(ほろ)ぼさなかった
Past polite滅(ほろ)ぼしました滅(ほろ)ぼしませんでした
て form滅(ほろ)ぼして滅(ほろ)ぼさなくて
ている present滅(ほろ)ぼしている滅(ほろ)ぼしていない
ている polite滅(ほろ)ぼしています滅(ほろ)ぼしていません
ている past滅(ほろ)ぼしていた滅(ほろ)ぼしていなかった
ている past polite滅(ほろ)ぼしていました滅(ほろ)ぼしていませんでした
Conditional ば滅(ほろ)ぼせば滅(ほろ)ぼさなければ
Conditional たら滅(ほろ)ぼしたら滅(ほろ)ぼさなかったら
Volitional滅(ほろ)ぼそう—
Volitional polite滅(ほろ)ぼしましょう—
Potential滅(ほろ)ぼせる滅(ほろ)ぼせない
Passive滅(ほろ)ぼされる滅(ほろ)ぼされない
Causative滅(ほろ)ぼさせる滅(ほろ)ぼさせない
Imperative滅(ほろ)ぼせ滅(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)が国(くに)を滅(ほろ)ぼした。
War destroyed the nation.
欲(よく)が身(み)を滅(ほろ)ぼすこともある。
Greed can sometimes ruin a person.
Oda Nobunaga destroyed many rival forces in his pursuit of national unification.

Usage

The transitive counterpart of 滅(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 驕(おご)る者(もの)は久(ひさ)しからず (身(み)を滅(ほろ)ぼす) — "the arrogant do not last long" — captures the common figurative usage about self-destruction through excess.

Common collocations