Meaning of 极其
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- extremely
How to use 极其
极其 is a formal adverb placed before adjectives or some verbs, often two-syllable ones, and it is common in writing, news, and speeches. Example: 这个问题极其重要。(Zhège wèntí jíqí zhòngyào.) This problem is extremely important.
极 (jí) means the extreme point or top, and 其 (qí) is a literary word you also see in 其他 (qítā) and 其实 (qíshí). Picture something pushed to its very limit, and you get 极其, extremely.
Common mistake: Learners often put 极其 after the adjective, like 极了 (jí le), but 极其 always goes before it: say 极其复杂, not 复杂极其. Also do not confuse 极 (jí) with 积 in 积极 (jījí), which has a different first character and tone pattern.
极其 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
极 jí · extremely · 7 strokes
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其 qí · his · 8 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 极其.
| 其他 | qítā | other; (sth or sb) else |
| 其中 | qízhōng | among; in |
| 其实 | qíshí | actually; in fact; really |
| 极了 | jí le | extremely; exceedingly |
| 积极 | jījí | active; energetic |
| 其次 | qícì | next; secondly |
| 积极性 | jījíxìng | zeal; initiative |
| 其余 | qíyú | the rest; the others |
| 尤其 | yóuqí | especially; particularly |
| 北极 | běijí | the North Pole; the north magnetic pole |
| 南极 | nánjí | the South Pole; the south magnetic pole |
| 消极 | xiāojí | negative; passive |
Questions about 极其
What does 极其 mean?
极其 (jíqí) means "extremely" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 极其?
极其 is made of 2 characters: 极 (7 strokes), 其 (8 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 极其 an HSK word?
Yes. 极其 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 极其 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 极其 is written 極其.
What is the difference between 极其 and 非常?
Both mean very or extremely, but 极其 is stronger and more formal. 非常 (fēicháng) is the everyday choice in conversation, while 极其 fits written or serious contexts.
Can 极其 be used with one-syllable adjectives?
It usually sounds more natural with two-syllable words, such as 极其困难 (jíqí kùnnan) or 极其认真 (jíqí rènzhēn). With a single-syllable adjective, speakers tend to use 很, 非常, or 极 instead.