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极了 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
极了jíleextremely; veryHSK 3, unknown, 9 strokes, Medium
jíle(ji2 le)ji le
  1. 1extremely; very
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March 24, 2026

极了jíle(ji2 le)

极了 (jí le) is an adverbial expression in Mandarin that intensifies the meaning of the preceding adjective or verb, indicating an extreme degree. It is commonly used in informal contexts to express strong feelings or opinions, such as 'very,' 'extremely,' or 'super.'

Strokes9DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

The use of 极了 reflects the expressive nature of Chinese communication, where emphasizing emotions or opinions is common in daily conversations, especially among friends or family.

Memory tip

Imagine a person standing at the peak of a mountain (极), shouting out how high they are feeling (了). This visual of reaching the highest point helps remember that 极了 conveys a maximum level of something.

Meanings of 极了

jíle(ji2 le)
1extremely; very
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About 极了

极了Simplified
9Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryHSKKL2CEFRA2

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Podcast: 极了

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AI study notes for 极了

Quick Contrast

非常 (fēicháng) vs 特别 (tèbié) — use 极了 for informal intensity, while 非常 is more formal and 特别 suggests a special distinction.

Usage Notes

极了 is used primarily in spoken and informal written Chinese. It often appears at the end of a sentence, following an adjective or verb. Be careful not to overuse it in formal writing, as it can come across as too casual.

HSK Study Tips

While 极了 is not explicitly covered in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to basic adjectives and verbs students learn at HSK 1 and 2. Students should focus on using it to enhance their descriptive language.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 极了 with just using adjectives alone, forgetting to add it for emphasis. For example, saying '好' (good) instead of '好极了' (extremely good) misses the intensity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 极了

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Component characters

极jíextremely
HSK 37 strokes木
View full entry
了le(modal particle intensifying preceding clause)
HSK 12 strokes亅
View full entry

How to say extremely; very in Chinese

“extremely; very” in Chinese is极了jíle

极了 (jí le) is an adverbial expression in Mandarin that intensifies the meaning of the preceding adjective or verb, indicating an extreme degree. It is commonly used in informal contexts to express strong feelings or opinions, such as 'very,' 'extremely,' or 'super.'

When to use 极了

极了 is used primarily in spoken and informal written Chinese. It often appears at the end of a sentence, following an adjective or verb. Be careful not to overuse it in formal writing, as it can come across as too casual.

极了 or something close to it

非常 (fēicháng) vs 特别 (tèbié) — use 极了 for informal intensity, while 非常 is more formal and 特别 suggests a special distinction.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 极了 with just using adjectives alone, forgetting to add it for emphasis. For example, saying '好' (good) instead of '好极了' (extremely good) misses the intensity.

Write 极了

极
了

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Frequently asked questions about 极了

Yes, you can use 极了 with most adjectives to intensify their meaning. For example, '好极了' (hǎo jí le) means 'excellent'.

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