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极限 (jí xiàn) — limit, extreme boundary

Definition

极限 is a noun for the outer limit of something (a number, a physical or human capacity). 限度 is the more general 'limit / limitation'; 极端 is usually an adjective meaning 'extreme' rather than the limit itself.

noun
limitextreme boundary

Examples

  • 极限。
    Zhè liàng chē de sù dù yǐ jīng jiē jìn jí xiàn le.
    This car's speed is already approaching its limit.
  • 极限。
    Rén de qián néng shì méi yǒu jí xiàn de.
    Human potential has no limit.
  • 极限。
    Yùn dòng yuán bú duàn tū pò zì jǐ de jí xiàn.
    Athletes constantly break through their own limits.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

极jíextreme
限xiànlimit

极 means extreme, and 限 means limit, so the whole is the extreme limit.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree, wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí极jí
Same sound today

极 pairs 木 (tree, wood) with 及, which provides the sound.

Open 极 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⻖Written in full as阜fùmound
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn限xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

限 pairs ⻖ (mound, written 阜) with 艮 as a sound part; the mound side gives the sense of a boundary or limit.

Open 限 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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