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尽 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
尽jǐnto the greatest extentHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐn(when used before a noun of location) furthest or extremeHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnto be within the limits ofHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnto give priority toHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnto use upHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnto exhaustHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnto endHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnto finishHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnto the utmostHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnexhaustedHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnfinishedHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnto the limit (of sth)HSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnto exhaust, to use up, to depleteHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnallHSK 6, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jǐnentirelyHSK 6, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto the greatest extentHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìn(when used before a noun of location) furthest or extremeHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto be within the limits ofHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto give priority toHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto use upHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto exhaustHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto endHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto finishHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto the utmostHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnexhaustedHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnfinishedHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto the limit (of sth)HSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnto exhaust, to use up, to depleteHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnallHSK 6, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
尽jìnentirelyHSK 6, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1005, Hard
jìn(jin4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1to the greatest extent
  2. 2(when used before a noun of location) furthest or extreme
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

尽(儘)jìn(jin4)

The character 尽 (jǐn) means to the greatest extent or to exhaust something completely. It can describe reaching the limits of something, finishing a task, or using up resources. Commonly, it is used in phrases that indicate thoroughness or totality in actions or conditions.

Strokes6Radical尸Frequency#1005DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of giving one's all is highly valued, often reflected in sayings related to hard work and dedication. The use of 尽 in phrases can reflect cultural attitudes toward diligence and thoroughness.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person stretching their arms out fully to the sides (尽), representing their utmost effort. The character has the radical for 'to use' (用) within it, emphasizing the idea of using something to its limit or exhaustively.

Meanings of 尽

jìn(jin4)
primary
1to the greatest extent
2(when used before a noun of location) furthest or extreme
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 尽

尽Simplified
儘Traditional
6Strokes
尸Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#1005Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 尽

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Podcast: 尽

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 尽

Quick Contrast

尽 (jǐn) vs 完 (wán) — use 尽 when emphasizing exhaustiveness or limits, while 完 focuses on completion without the implication of totality.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 尽 with similar-sounding words. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in phrases like '尽全力' (do one's utmost). Pay attention to the tone; mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 尽 is not listed in the HSK levels, it connects well with HSK Level 4 vocabulary concerning actions and completions. Focus on its use in various phrases and its collocations to enhance your understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 尽 with other similar characters, such as 近 (jìn), which means 'close' or 'near.' For example, saying '尽近' instead of just '尽' can lead to confusion; remember that 尽 emphasizes totality or exhaustion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 尽

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Etymology of 尽

Explanation

Simplified form of 盡. Pictograph of scrubbing dishes clean after one is finished eating. The traditional component 皿 was removed for simplification.

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 尽

Simplified form of 盡. Pictograph of scrubbing dishes clean after one is finished eating. The traditional component 皿 was removed for simplification.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 尽? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 尽?

Decomposition of 尽

IDS Structure⿵尺⺀
尽Full Character
=
尺che3
enclosing
⺀—
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 尽?

How to say to the greatest extent in Chinese

“to the greatest extent” in Chinese is尽jǐn

The character 尽 (jǐn) means to the greatest extent or to exhaust something completely. It can describe reaching the limits of something, finishing a task, or using up resources. Commonly, it is used in phrases that indicate thoroughness or totality in actions or conditions.

When to use 尽

Be careful not to confuse 尽 with similar-sounding words. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in phrases like '尽全力' (do one's utmost). Pay attention to the tone; mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.

尽 or something close to it

尽 (jǐn) vs 完 (wán) — use 尽 when emphasizing exhaustiveness or limits, while 完 focuses on completion without the implication of totality.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 尽 with other similar characters, such as 近 (jìn), which means 'close' or 'near.' For example, saying '尽近' instead of just '尽' can lead to confusion; remember that 尽 emphasizes totality or exhaustion.

Write 尽

尽

Practice writing 尽 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 尽

尽 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 15 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons6
尽量…尽量 + [V]
HSK 3

Used to indicate trying one's best or making an effort.

我会尽量帮助你。

Wǒ huì jǐnliàng bāngzhù nǐ.

I will try my best to help you.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

志愿者要____量自己克服困难。

Volunteers should try their best to overcome difficulties on their own.

Common Confusions with 尽

尽vs禁
jìn

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

尽vs进
jìn

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

尽量 emphasizes effort, while 尽 refers to the extent or limit of something.

1

尽量做到最好 vs. 尽可能快

尽量 emphasizes effort, while 尽 refers to the extent or limit of something.

💡记住尽量是指努力，而尽是指极限。
Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to the greatest extent"?

or

Usage Notes for 尽

Avoid Misusing 尽Common Error

尽 should not be confused with 仅, which means 'only'.

1

这仅是个开始。

This is just the beginning.

Example Sentences for 尽 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我尽量少得罪人。

wǒ jìn liáng shǎo dé zuì rén。

I try to offend the least amount of people possible.
2
我已尽力了，但是她母亲贻害颇深。

wǒ yǐ jìn lì le， ， dàn shì tā mǔ qīn yí hài pō。

I did what I could, but her mother's influence was pernicious.
3
你需要尽你所能，最大限度地去努力。只要你这么做，只要你能保持乐观，你就会看见乌云背后的幸福线。

nǐ xū yào jìn nǐ suǒ néng， ， zuì dà xiàn dù dì qù nǔ。 lì 。 zhī yào nǐ zhè， mó zuò ， zhī yào nǐ néng bǎo， chí lè guān ， nǐ jiù huì kàn jiàn wū yún bèi hòu。

You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest. And if you do, if you stay positive, then you have a shot at a silver lining.
4
你不该总是为了做到尽善尽美而累坏自己。

nǐ bù gāi zǒng shì wéi le zuò dào jìn shàn jìn měi ér léi huài zì jǐ。

You shouldn't always have to kill yourself to do well.
5
并不是他们把全球的资源耗费殆尽的。

bìng bù shì tā mén bǎ quán qiú de zī yuán hào fèi dài jìn de。

It isn't them who use up the world's resources.
6
他们的目标是尽可能提高牛奶产量。

tā mén de mù biāo shì jìn kě néng tí gāo niú nǎi chǎn liáng。

Their aim will be to produce as much milk as possible.
7
尽管是10年前出版的，这本书仍值得大力推荐。

jìn guǎn shì10 10 nián qián chū bǎn， de ， zhè běn shū réng zhí dé dà lì。

Though ten years old, this book is highly recommended.
8
这位绅士，尽管年事已高，仍然帮着凯瑟琳回到座位上。

zhè wèi shēn shì， ， jìn guǎn nián shì yǐ， gāo ， réng rán bāng zháo kǎi sè lín huí dào zuò。

The gentleman, despite his advanced years, helped Kathryn back to her seat.
9
这场战争必须速战速决，尽量兵不血刃。

zhè cháng zhàn zhēng bì xū sù zhàn sù jué， ， jìn liáng bīng bù xiě。

This war had to be fought fast and relatively bloodlessly.
10
尽管这辆汽车基本状况良好，我还是担心一些地方不够安全。

jìn guǎn zhè liàng qì chē jī běn zhuàng kuàng liáng hǎo， ， wǒ huán shì dān xīn yī xiē dì fāng bù gòu ān。

Although the car is basically sound, I was worried about certain areas.
Exercise 1 of 1

Reorder the Sentence

I try to offend the least amount of people possible.

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Cultural Notes for 尽

💡Did you know?

The character 尽 (jǐn) has origins in ancient Chinese philosophy, reflecting the idea of exhausting one's potential or resources. It embodies the spirit of perseverance, which is deeply rooted in Chinese culture.

📜Proverb

A common Chinese saying is '尽心尽力' (jǐn xīn jǐn lì), meaning to do something with utmost care and effort, highlighting the value placed on diligence and commitment in Chinese society.

Word Family of 尽

Compounds5
烬jin4ashes, cinders, embers; remnants
荩jin4loyal, faithful; a perennial weed
赆jin4farewell present
侭
浕
Words Containing This Character20
尽管jǐnguǎndespite儘管
尽jìnto use up盡
尽快jǐnkuàias quickly as possible儘快
尽量jǐnliàngas much as possible儘量
尽力jìnlìto spare no effort盡力
尽可能jǐnkěnéngas far as possible儘可能
尽情jìnqíngas much as one likes盡情
尽头jìntóuend盡頭
尽早jǐnzǎoas early as possible儘早
无尽endless無盡
不尽endlessly不盡
竭尽全力jiéjìnquánlìto spare no effort (idiom); to do one's utmost竭盡全力
用尽to exhaust用盡
尽力而为to strive盡力而為
耗尽to exhaust耗盡
竭尽to use up竭盡
尽兴to enjoy oneself to the full盡興
淋漓尽致lit. extreme saturation (idiom)淋漓盡致
感激不尽can't thank sb enough (idiom)感激不盡
详尽xiángjìnexhaustive詳盡
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 烬 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 尽

尽 (jǐn) and 结束 (jié shù) both relate to completion but have different nuances. 尽 emphasizes reaching the fullest extent or using something up, while 结束 refers to concluding or finishing an action. Understanding these differences can enhance your fluency.

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