極 (jí) - Extreme, utmost, pole & the highest point

極Tone 2

jí ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

慧佳

極 · jí

Extreme, utmost, pole;

the highest point;

to reach the limit;

in Chinese philosophy, refers to the ultimate principle or extreme state.

Extreme, utmost, polethe highest pointto reach the limit

Usage highlights

Polar regionExtremelyPoleUltimateExtreme sportsPositive pole

Synonyms

  • 最— most, extreme
  • 顶— top, peak
  • 至— utmost, extreme

Antonyms

  • 微— tiny, minute
  • 弱— weak, feeble
  • 小— small, little

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The North Pole(北极)
  • Extreme happiness(极度快乐)
  • Reaching the peak of perfection(登峰造极)
  • Polar region(极地)
  • Extremely urgent(极其紧急)

Collocations

  • Polar region(极地)
  • Extremely(极其)
  • Pole(极)
  • Ultimate(终极)
  • Extreme sports(极限运动)
  • Positive pole(正极)

Idioms

  • Reaching the peak of perfection(登峰造极)
  • Extreme joy begets sorrow(乐极生悲)
  • Pushing to the extreme(穷极其妙)
  • The acme of perfection(造极登峰)
  • Extreme measures in extreme circumstances(物极必反)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese philosophy, '极' represents the ultimate principle in Neo-Confucianism, often translated as 'the Supreme Ultimate' in Taiji (太极) philosophy.
  • Used in geographical terms for poles (北极 North Pole, 南极 South Pole) and in electrical contexts for positive/negative poles.
  • Appears in many compound words indicating the highest degree or extreme state of something.

FAQ