破滅（はめつ、hametsu）
- ruin/destruction

The Japanese word 破滅 (読み方: はめつ) signifies destruction, ruin, downfall, or catastrophe. It implies a complete collapse or devastation, often encompassing both physical and metaphorical senses. It can refer to the ruin of a person, a society, a plan, or an object. The word conveys a sense of finality and irreversible damage. It is about a severe, often sudden, and irreversible change for the worse.

⚫︎ あの国は戦争によって破滅］してしまった。 Translation: That country was ruined by war. ⚫︎ 彼の計画は、失敗の連続で最終的に破滅］を招いた。 Translation: His plan ultimately led to ruin due to a series of failures. ⚫︎ 環境汚染は地球の破滅］につながる可能性がある。 Translation: Environmental pollution could lead to the destruction of the Earth.

破滅 is used in formal and informal contexts. It's suitable for discussing serious situations, like the collapse of a nation, the downfall of a person, or the negative consequences of an action. You would use it to express the outcome of a significant failure or disaster. It's often used when talking about significant, negative consequences or outcomes.

⚫︎The word is primarily written in kanji as 破滅. ⚫︎The reading is はめつ in hiragana. ⚫︎There is no variation in okurigana.

⚫︎ 崩壊（ほうかい） - Collapse, disintegration ⚫︎ 滅亡（めつぼう） - Destruction, ruin, downfall ⚫︎ 滅び（ほろび） - Ruin, destruction ⚫︎ 破綻（はたん） - Failure, bankruptcy

⚫︎ 繁栄（はんえい） - Prosperity ⚫︎ 成功（せいこう） - Success ⚫︎ 発展（はってん） - Development, growth ⚫︎ 復興（ふっこう） - Reconstruction, recovery

彼はギャンブルにのめり込み、ついには家庭を破滅］させた。 ・Translation: He became addicted to gambling and eventually ruined his family. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how a person's actions can lead to the 破滅 of their personal life or situation.

経済危機が、その企業の破滅］につながった。 ・Translation: The economic crisis led to the ruin of that company. ・Explanation: This sentence shows that external events can also be the cause of 破滅.

The word 破滅 is formed from the kanji 破（は - break, tear, destroy） and 滅（めつ - destruction, ruin). The combination of these two characters creates a strong sense of devastation and total loss.