Meanings of 極
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About 極
Podcast: 極
Podcast: 極
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AI Study Notes for 極
极 (jí) vs 尽 (jìn) — use 极 when emphasizing the highest degree or extremity, while 尽 focuses on completeness or the end of something.
Be cautious not to confuse 極 with its homophone 级 (jí), which means level or grade. This character is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more common in written language. Common collocations include 極端 (extreme) and 極限 (limit).
Although 極 is not included in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it is relevant for learners progressing beyond HSK 4 as it appears in various contexts related to extremes or limits. Pay attention to its usage in phrases and idiomatic expressions.
Learners often confuse 極 with similar sounding characters like 及 (jí), which means 'and' or 'to reach'. For example, saying 極到 (jí dào) instead of 及到 (jí dào) leads to incorrect expressions of reaching something.
Pronunciation of 極
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Etymology of 極
Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 及 represents the sound. Simplified form of 極.
wood
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 極
Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 及 represents the sound. Simplified form of 極.
- 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half亟 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywood
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 極? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 極
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How to say extreme, top; final, furthest, utmost; pole in Chinese
“extreme, top; final, furthest, utmost; pole” in Chinese is極
The character 極 (jí) means extreme or utmost, often used to describe the highest degree of something. It can refer to the poles of the Earth or to the final point in a sequence, indicating the furthest or most intense form of something.
When to use 極
Be cautious not to confuse 極 with its homophone 级 (jí), which means level or grade. This character is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more common in written language. Common collocations include 極端 (extreme) and 極限 (limit).
極 or something close to it
极 (jí) vs 尽 (jìn) — use 极 when emphasizing the highest degree or extremity, while 尽 focuses on completeness or the end of something.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 極 with similar sounding characters like 及 (jí), which means 'and' or 'to reach'. For example, saying 極到 (jí dào) instead of 及到 (jí dào) leads to incorrect expressions of reaching something.
Write 極
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Practice writing 極 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 極
Compound Meaning
What does 极了 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 極
While it is more common in written contexts, you may encounter it in discussions about extremes or limits.
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