灭
miè · HSK 6
go out
🔥 A lid (一) smothers the fire (火) — miè, extinguished
The character 灭 stacks 一 (one, a flat cover) on top of 火 (fire). A single slab pressed down on flames puts them out. The sound miè echoes the brief hiss of a dying flame.
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'.