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极点 (jí diǎn) — farthest point, extremity

Definition

极点 (jídiǎn) is the noun 'the extreme point' — a limit reached, used for pollution, patience, temperatures, etc. Often appears after 到 / 达到. Distinguished from 极端 (jíduān), which is an adjective meaning 'extreme / radical'.

noun
farthest pointextremity

Examples

  • 极点。
    Zhè ge chéng shì de wū rǎn yǐ jīng dào le jí diǎn.
    The pollution in this city has reached an extreme point.
  • 极点，。
    Tā de nài xīn dá dào le jí diǎn, zhōng yú bào fā le.
    His patience reached its limit, and finally he exploded.
  • 极点，。
    Zài hán lěng de jí diǎn, wēn dù kě yǐ jiàng dào líng xià wǔ shí dù.
    At the cold extreme, temperatures can drop to minus fifty degrees.

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
点diǎnpoint

极 gives extreme and 点 gives point, so the word names the farthest point.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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