绝 (jué) — (verb) to cut off; to vanish; to become extinct; (adjective) extreme; peerless; (adverb) absolutely; definitely (used before a negation)
Definition
绝 is an emphatic adverb meaning 'absolutely, definitely,' almost always paired with a negation (我绝不同意). As a verb/adjective it means to vanish or be cut off, stronger and more literary than 消失.
verb
to cut offto vanishto become extinct
adjective
extremepeerless
adverb
absolutelydefinitely (used before a negation)
Examples
- 。Tā de shēn yǐng jiàn jiàn jué jì le.His figure gradually vanished.
- 。Tā xiàn rù le jué jìng.He fell into a desperate situation.
- 。Wǒ jué bù tóng yì nǐ de kàn fǎ.I absolutely do not agree with your opinion.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 絕; 绝 is its simplified writing.
In the traditional form 絕, 刀 (knife) and 幺 (silk) show a knife cutting silk threads. The simplified 绝 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original picture.
Appears in
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