HSK 3, d, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #1851, Medium
极
jí
pole (geography, physics)
HSK 3, d, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #1851, Medium
极
jí
utmost
HSK 3, d, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #1851, Medium
极
jí
top
HSK 3, d, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #1851, Medium
极
jí
extreme, top; final, furthest, utmost; pole
HSK 3, d, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #1851, Medium
jí(ji2) T2
1extremely
2pole (geography, physics)
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March 24, 2026
极(極)jí(ji2)
The character 极 (jí) primarily means 'extreme' or 'utmost,' often used to describe something at its highest degree or limit. It can also refer to poles in geographical or physical contexts, such as the North or South Pole. In everyday usage, it indicates an intense or maximum state, such as in expressions of emotion or quality.
Strokes7Radical木Frequency#1851DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of extremes is often reflected in traditional philosophies such as Daoism, which emphasizes balance. The idea of reaching a limit or an extreme state can also be seen in the context of Chinese martial arts, where practitioners strive for peak performance.
Memory Tip
Imagine a tall mountain peak (极) representing the highest point one can reach. The character itself looks like two horizontal lines at the top (the peak) and a vertical line below, symbolizing the concept of reaching the extreme top. Visualize shouting 'Jí!' as you climb to the top of the mountain, signifying your excitement at being at the utmost point.
Meanings of 极
jí(ji2)
1extremely
2pole (geography, physics)
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 极
极Simplified
極Traditional
7Strokes
木Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#1851Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L3IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 极
Podcast: 极
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AI Study Notes for 极
Quick Contrast
极 (jí, extreme) vs 最高 (zuì gāo, highest) — use 极 for intensity or extremity, while 最高 specifically denotes the highest point or level.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 极 (jí), as it is a second tone and can easily be confused with the first tone (jī). This character is often used in phrases like 极好 (jí hǎo, extremely good) or 极限 (jí xiàn, limit or extreme). It's typically used in both formal and informal contexts, but ensure to use it appropriately to avoid sounding exaggerated.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 3 word, 极 connects with other vocabulary related to intensity or extremes, such as 好 (hǎo, good) and 大 (dà, big). Students should focus on how to combine 极 with other adjectives to express superlatives and extremes in various situations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 极 (jí) with 级 (jí, level), leading to phrases like 极别 (incorrect) instead of 极好 (jí hǎo, extremely good). Pay attention to the context to avoid such mix-ups.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 极
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Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 及 represents the sound. Simplified form of 極.
1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
2The sound half及 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywood
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 极? 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 极?
Decomposition of 极
IDS Structure⿰木及
极Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
及ji2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 极?
How to say extremely in Chinese
“extremely” in Chinese is极jí
The character 极 (jí) primarily means 'extreme' or 'utmost,' often used to describe something at its highest degree or limit. It can also refer to poles in geographical or physical contexts, such as the North or South Pole. In everyday usage, it indicates an intense or maximum state, such as in expressions of emotion or quality.
When to use 极
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 极 (jí), as it is a second tone and can easily be confused with the first tone (jī). This character is often used in phrases like 极好 (jí hǎo, extremely good) or 极限 (jí xiàn, limit or extreme). It's typically used in both formal and informal contexts, but ensure to use it appropriately to avoid sounding exaggerated.
极 or something close to it
极 (jí, extreme) vs 最高 (zuì gāo, highest) — use 极 for intensity or extremity, while 最高 specifically denotes the highest point or level.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 极 (jí) with 级 (jí, level), leading to phrases like 极别 (incorrect) instead of 极好 (jí hǎo, extremely good). Pay attention to the context to avoid such mix-ups.
Write 极
极
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Practice writing 极 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 极
极 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
极 (jí) and 非常 (fēicháng) both mean 'very' or 'extremely', but 极 is often used to indicate the highest degree of something, while 非常 is more commonly used in everyday speech. For example, you might say '我非常喜欢这个' (wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān zhège) meaning 'I really like this,' but to emphasize even more, you could say '我喜欢这个极了' (wǒ xǐhuān zhège jíle).
极 (jí) means 'extremely' or 'utmost' in Chinese. It can also refer to poles in geographical or physical contexts, such as the North Pole or the South Pole. This character is commonly used to emphasize a high degree of something.
极 can be used to express an extreme degree of an adjective, such as in the sentence '这道菜极好' (zhè dào cài jí hǎo), which means 'This dish is extremely good.' It can also be part of phrases like '极其' (jíqí), meaning 'extremely' or 'very much'.
You can say 极好 (jí hǎo) to mean 'extremely good,' or 极端 (jí duān) to mean 'extreme.'
Yes, 极 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful of the context to ensure it fits the tone.
Yes, 极 can precede many adjectives to express an extreme degree, but ensure the adjective fits the context.
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