# 滅 — perish; destroy

滅 means “perish; destroy”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 13 strokes. On'yomi: メツ (metsu). Kun'yomi: ほろ(びる) (horobiru). You'll see it in words such as 滅びる (horobiru, “to go to ruin; to go under”).

- Meaning: perish; destroy
- On'yomi: メツ (metsu)
- Kun'yomi: ほろ(びる) (horobiru)
- Strokes: 13
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Conflict & rivalry 4

## How to remember 滅

Parts: 氵 water · 戌 dog sign · 火 fire

## Words with 滅

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 滅びる | ほろびる (horobiru) | to go to ruin; to go under |
| 滅ぼす | ほろぼす (horobosu) | to destroy; to overthrow |

## Don't confuse it with

[淡](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/faint/)

## More in the “Conflict & rivalry 4” set

[滅](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/perish/) · [砲](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/cannon/) · [阻](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/thwart/) · [矢](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/arrow/) · [剣](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/sword/) · [冒](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/risk/) · [艦](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/warship/) · [謀](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/plot/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/perish/. Last updated 2026-11-01.