Meaning of 极端
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- extreme
How to use 极端
极端 works as a noun meaning "an extreme" and as an adjective meaning "extreme" or "radical", often describing views, weather, or behavior. It also appears as an adverb before adjectives, meaning "extremely". Example: 他的想法太极端了。(Tā de xiǎngfǎ tài jíduān le.) His ideas are too extreme.
极 (jí) means the utmost point, like the poles in 北极 (běijí), and 端 (duān) means an end. Together 极端 is the farthest end of something, the very edge where you cannot go further.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes mix up 极 (jí, second tone) with 积 (jī, first tone) from 积极 (jījí), since both are pronounced ji. Also, do not use 极端 as a casual "very" in everyday praise. Say 好极了 (hǎo jí le), not 极端好, because 极端 sounds negative or serious.
极端 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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端 duān · tip · 14 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 极端.
| 极了 | jí le | extremely; exceedingly |
| 积极 | jījí | active; energetic |
| 积极性 | jījíxìng | zeal; initiative |
| 极其 | jíqí | extremely |
| 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 |
| 端午节 | Duānwǔ Jié | Dragon Boat Festival (5th day of the 5th lunar month) |
| 极限 | jíxiàn | limit; extreme boundary |
| 极度 | jídù | extremely |
| 极为 | jíwéi | extremely; exceedingly |
| 极力 | jílì | to make a supreme effort; at all costs |
Questions about 极端
What does 极端 mean?
极端 (jíduān) means "extreme" and is used as a noun and adjective.
How do you write 极端?
极端 is made of 2 characters: 极 (7 strokes), 端 (14 strokes). That is 21 strokes in total.
Is 极端 an HSK word?
Yes. 极端 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 极端 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 极端 is written 極端.
What is the difference between 极端 and 极其?
极其 (jíqí) is only an adverb meaning "extremely" and is fairly neutral, as in 极其重要 (extremely important). 极端 can be a noun or adjective, and it usually suggests something going too far, such as 极端天气 (extreme weather).
How do you say "go to extremes" in Chinese?
A common phrase is 走极端 (zǒu jíduān), literally "walk to the extreme". For example, 做事不要走极端 (zuòshì bú yào zǒu jíduān) means "Don't go to extremes when doing things."