Definitions
(verb)
to arrive; to reach
(adverb)
most; extremely
(particle)
until
Etymology
Pictograph of an arrow hitting its target.
About
The character "至" finds its origins in an early ideographic concept of an arrow reaching its target, embodying the fundamental notion of arrival or attainment. Its structural form, which has persisted without alteration in traditional writing, abstractly captures this imagery to emphasize a point of conclusion or achievement. Over time, the semantic scope of the character extended from describing physical arrival to encapsulating abstract extremes, such as the highest degree or utmost limit, thereby conveying a sense of culmination or superlative quality. This development from a verb indicating a concrete action to a modifier expressing intensity is evident in its role within compound words, where it often signifies completion or acts as a grammatical element for superlatives, reflecting a natural linguistic progression from spatial to qualitative domains.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
火车十点至十二点之间到达。
他至少需要五分钟。
这本书从开头至结尾都很精彩。
问题甚至引起了专家的注意。
他对朋友始终非常真诚。
温暖的气候将持续至下个月初。
这项决定至关重要，必须谨慎。
此数据对实验结果具有乃至决定性的影响。