极

極

jí

及 + 木

HSK 2.0Level 3

HSK 3.0Level 3

Definitions

jí (adverb) extremely; utmost

jí (noun) pole; endpoint

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 及 represents the sound. Simplified form of 極.

Semantic: 木 Phonetic: 及

About

极 is the simplified form of 極, a phonosemantic compound. The traditional character pairs the wood radical 木 (mù) with the phonetic 亟 (jí, meaning "urgency" or "extreme"), while the simplified version uses the homophone 及 (jí). It first referred to the main ridgepole, the highest beam in a traditional wooden structure, which explains the presence of 木. From this literal rooftop peak, the meaning extended metaphorically to any extreme limit, ultimate degree, or farthest point. Today it commonly functions as an adverb meaning "extremely" or as a noun for geographical poles.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

极光很美丽。

Jíguāng hěn měilì.

The aurora is very beautiful.

北极有北极熊。

Běijí yǒu běijíxióng.

The North Pole has polar bears.

这个游戏极好玩。

Zhège yóuxì jí hǎowán.

This game is extremely fun.

他极其努力地工作。

Tā jíqí nǔlì de gōngzuò.

He works extremely hard.

南极是冰冻大陆。

Nánjí shì bīngdòng dàlù.

The South Pole is a frozen continent.

极限运动需要勇气。

Jíxiàn yùndòng xūyào yǒngqì.

Extreme sports require courage.

她对音乐极其热爱。

Tā duì yīnyuè jíqí rè'ài.

She has an extreme passion for music.

在极端条件下，实验才能成功。

Zài jíduān tiáojiàn xià, shíyàn cái néng chénggōng.

Under extreme conditions, the experiment can succeed.

Related Characters

Component: 及

Component: 木

极