殄滅

殄滅

1. (literary) to annihilate; to wipe out

   • 乃有不吉不迪，顛越不恭，暫遇姦宄；我乃劓殄滅之，無遺育，無俾易種于兹新邑。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     乃有不吉不迪，颠越不恭，暂遇奸宄；我乃劓殄灭之，无遗育，无俾易种于兹新邑。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Nǎi yǒu bùjí bùdí, diānyuè bùgōng, zàn yù jiānguǐ; wǒ nǎi yì tiǎnmiè zhī, wú yíyù, wú bǐ yìzhǒng yú zī xīn yì. [Pinyin]

     If there were to be bad and unprincipled men, precipitously or carelessly disrespectful [to my orders], and taking advantage of this brief season to play the part of villains or traitors, I will cut off their noses, or utterly exterminate them. I will leave none of their children. I will not let their seed be perpetuated in this new city [Yin].

   • 莽自知敗 […] 仰天曰：“皇天既命授臣莽，何不殄滅衆賊？即令臣莽非是，願下雷霆誅臣莽！”因搏心大哭，氣盡，伏而叩頭。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     莽自知败 […] 仰天曰：“皇天既命授臣莽，何不殄灭众贼？即令臣莽非是，愿下雷霆诛臣莽！”因搏心大哭，气尽，伏而叩头。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Han, circa 1^st century CE

     Mǎng zìzhī bài […] yǎngtiān yuē: “Huángtiān jì mìng shòu chén Mǎng, hébù tiǎnmiè zhòng zéi? Jílìng chén Mǎng fēi shì, yuàn xià léitíng zhū chén Mǎng!” Yīn bó xīn dàkū, qì jìn, fú ér kòutóu. [Pinyin]

     Wang Mang himself knew that he was doomed to defeat [...] He looked up to Heaven and said, "Since thou, August Heaven, hast given thy mandate to thy subject, Mang, why doest thou not order extirpated the bands of robbers at once? Given that what I have done is wrong, I wish that thou wouldst send down a thunderbolt to put thy servant Mang to death." Upon saying this he struck his heart with his palm and wept copiously. When his breath was exhausted, he prostrated himself and knocked his head on the ground.