至

zhì

土 + 𠫔

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

zhì (verb) to arrive; to reach

zhì (adverb) most; extremely

zhì (particle) until

Etymology

Pictograph of an arrow hitting its target.

About

The character 至 evolved from a pictograph of an arrow hitting its target. This image represented the act of arriving at a destination or reaching a specific endpoint, establishing the character's primary meaning. From this spatial sense of reaching a physical limit, the meaning branched into temporal and abstract uses: it came to function as a preposition meaning "until" (up to a point in time) and as an adverb indicating the highest degree, the extreme limit, or the utmost extent of a quality.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Spring and Autumn (~600 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

火车十点至十二点之间到达。

Huǒchē shí diǎn zhì shí'èr diǎn zhī jiān dàodá.

The train arrives between 10 o'clock and 12 o'clock.

他至少需要五分钟。

Tā zhìshǎo xūyào wǔ fēnzhōng.

He needs at least five minutes.

这本书从开头至结尾都很精彩。

Zhè běn shū cóng kāitóu zhì jiéwěi dōu hěn jīngcǎi.

This book is brilliant from beginning to end.

问题甚至引起了专家的注意。

Wèntí shènzhì yǐnqǐle zhuānjiā de zhùyì.

The problem even attracted the attention of experts.

他对朋友始终非常真诚。

Tā duì péngyou shǐzhōng fēicháng zhēnchéng.

He has always been very sincere to his friends.

温暖的气候将持续至下个月初。

Wēnnuǎn de qìhòu jiāng chíxù zhì xià gè yuè chū.

The warm weather will last until early next month.

这项决定至关重要，必须谨慎。

Zhè xiàng juédìng zhì guān zhòngyào, bìxū jǐnshèn.

This decision is extremely important and must be made carefully.

此数据对实验结果具有乃至决定性的影响。

Cǐ shùjù duì shíyàn jiéguǒ jùyǒu nǎizhì juédìng xìng de yǐngxiǎng.

This data has a significant, even decisive, impact on the experimental results.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 土

Component: 𠫔

Example Words