皆殺(みなごろ)し

みなごろし
noun
massacre; killing everyone
action
1. massacre; killing everyone; annihilation
The act of killing every member of a group without exception. Used in historical, literary, and dramatic contexts.
村人(むらびと)は皆殺(みなごろ)しにされた。
The villagers were all massacred.
An order came down to kill every last enemy.
その映画(えいが)は、ある一族(いちぞく)が皆殺(みなごろ)しにされる復讐劇(ふくしゅうげき)だ。
The movie is a revenge story where an entire clan is massacred.

皆殺(みなごろ)し is a strong, graphic word meaning the killing of every member of a group. It is composed of 皆(みな) (everyone) + 殺(ころ)し (killing).

Common patterns

  • 皆殺(みなごろ)しにする: to massacre, to kill everyone
  • 皆殺(みなごろ)しにされる: to be massacred
  • 皆殺(みなごろ)しにあう: to be subjected to a massacre

Usage

Primarily appears in historical accounts, war narratives, fiction, and dramatic stories. Rarely used in everyday conversation. Often describes events in feudal Japan, wartime atrocities, or action/revenge fiction.

Related words