What does 极 mean in Chinese?

极 (jí) means "extremely; pole (geography, physics); utmost; top" in Chinese. The new HSK exam tests it at HSK 3.

How do you pronounce 极?

极 is pronounced "jí" in Mandarin Chinese. The tone number is 2.

What HSK level is 极?

极 is an HSK 3 word on the new HSK exam syllabus. It is HSK 3 on both the old and the new exam.

What words contain the character 极?

Common words with 极 include 北极 (the North Pole), 偏极 (polarity), 偶极 (dipole (e.g. magnetic dipole)), 两极 (the two poles), 三极管 (triode (vacuum tube or transistor)).

How do you write 极?

You can practice writing 极 using our stroke order tool.

极 (jí), extremely

极

jí

extremely; pole (geography, physics); utmost; top

HSK 3

Traditional: 極

Character Breakdown

Radical: 木 (no. 75)Traditional: 極

View stroke order →

Definitions

extremely
pole (geography, physics)
utmost
top

Example Sentences

这个问题极其重要。

Zhège wèntí jíqí zhòngyào

This issue is extremely important

Words Containing 极

Word	Pinyin	Meaning	HSK
北极	běi jí	the North Pole	HSK 6
偏极	piān jí	polarity
偶极	ǒu jí	dipole (e.g. magnetic dipole)
两极	liǎng jí	the two poles	HSK 6
三极管

→

不胜(bù shèng)· cannot bear or stand

→

一箩筐(yī luó kuāng)· bucketloads of

→

三茶六饭(sān chá liù fàn)· lit. to offer three kinds of tea and six different dishes

→

Grammar Notes

Extremely (极了)HSK 4

Subject + Adjective + 极了

HSK levels

New HSK exam: HSK 3
HSK 2.0: HSK 3
HSK Lord study list: HSK 4 list

极: HSK 3 on both the old and the new exam. See where your old level lands

New exam levels follow the CLEC syllabus released 15 November 2025. The first official sitting is announced for 13 December 2026. HSK 7-9 is one advanced band.

On the new HSK 3 exam

Studying for HSK 3? Keep 极 with the rest of your level.

HSK Lord schedules your reviews so each character comes back right before you would forget it. Free to start, and it picks up where you are.

Start studying free The words new HSK 3 adds

Frequently Asked Questions

Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.

极