The word "毁灭" is formed through the direct and powerful combination of two characters, each contributing a crucial layer to the concept of total annihilation. The first character, "毁" (huǐ), carries the core meaning of to ruin, to damage, or to destroy, often implying a breaking down or a bringing to ruin. It is paired with "灭" (miè), which means to extinguish, to wipe out, or to cause to cease to exist, adding the final and absolute dimension of eradication. Together, they do not merely describe damage, but instead fuse into a single, intensified concept of complete and utter destruction, the process of ruining something so thoroughly that it is extinguished from existence.