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终极 (zhōng jí) — ultimate; final (the highest or most extreme degree)

Definition

终极 is the most emphatic, abstract 'ultimate/final' — used in lofty, philosophical contexts (终极梦想, 终极答案), stronger and more literary than 最终 and 最后.

noun
ultimatefinal (the highest or most extreme degree)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 终极。
    Tàn suǒ yǔ zhòu de ào mì shì tā de zhōng jí mèng xiǎng.
    Exploring the mysteries of the universe is his ultimate dream.
  • ，终极。
    Duì yú zhè ge zhé xué wèn tí, hái méi yǒu zhōng jí dá àn.
    There is no ultimate answer to this philosophical question.
  • 终极。
    Zhè chǎng bǐ sài shì liǎng duì zhōng jí shí lì de jiào liàng.
    This competition is a test of both teams' ultimate strength.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

终zhōngend
极jíutmost

终 and 极 both point to the end or utmost point, so together they mean ultimate or final.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 終; 终 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
冬
冬dōng終zhōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 終 pairs 糸 (a cord) with 冬 as a sound part; the simplified 终 is a later shorthand. An older form showed a knot at the end of a cord.

Open 终 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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