毁灭
huǐ miè · HSK 7
to destroy
💥🔥 毁 (ruin/smash) + 灭 (snuff out) = wreck it then snuff out what's left = destroy
灭 is 火 (fire) with a flat line 一 pressed on top — a lid clamped over flames, i.e. extinguished. Pair it with 毁 (to smash/ruin) and you get total destruction: smash it, then snuff out the embers.
毁 — 臼 mortar + 工 work + 殳 weapon/strike
Originally depicted striking (殳) something in a mortar (臼) to break it apart, with 工 as a phonetic and semantic helper suggesting the action. The core image is of pounding or smashing, which extended from physical destruction to ruining, slandering, or defaming someone.
灭 — fire 火 under cover 一
Originally written 烕, showing fire 火 being smothered or extinguished. The modern simplified form 灭 visually depicts a horizontal stroke 一 pressing down on fire 火, capturing the idea of putting out flames. The meaning extended from 'extinguish' to 'destroy' or 'wipe out'.