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超级 (chāo jí) — super, ultra, extremely

Definition

A casual intensifier meaning 'super / ultra / extremely' — modifies adjectives for emphasis, not a real level or rank. Compare 超 (a verb, to exceed a limit) and 高超 (a high-skill adjective, 'masterful').

adjective
superultraextremely

Examples

  • 超级。
    Tā shì yí wèi chāo jí míng xīng.
    He is a superstar.
  • 超级。
    Zhè ge diàn yǐng chāo jí hǎo kàn.
    This movie is super good-looking.
  • 超级。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de cài chāo jí hǎo chī.
    The food at this restaurant is super delicious.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

超chāoexceed
级jígrade

超 means to exceed and 级 means grade, so the word means beyond the usual grade.

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
走走zǒurun
Sound part声符shēngfú
召
召zhào超chāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

超 pairs 走, meaning “run,” with 召, which gives the sound.

Open 超 →

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 級; 级 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí級jí
Same sound today

The traditional form 級 has 糹 (thread) and 及 as a sound part; its original sense was a sequence related to silk. The simplified 级 is a later shorthand.

Open 级 →
Appears in
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