极 from HSK Level 4 Vocabulary List

The Chinese character 极 (jí) is composed of two parts: the radical 弋 (yì) and the phonetic component 乞 (qǐ). The radical 弋 originally meant "to shoot an arrow", and it is often used in characters related to weapons or hunting. The phonetic component 乞 originally meant "to beg", and it is often used in characters related to asking or requesting.The combination of these two components creates the character 极, which has the meaning of "extreme" or "utmost". This character can be used in a variety of contexts, such as to describe the highest or lowest point of something, or to express the idea of "very" or "extremely". For example, the phrase 极端 (jíduān) means "extreme", while the phrase 极其 (jíqí) means "very" or "extremely".The character 极 can also be used in a more abstract sense, to refer to the ultimate goal or purpose of something. For example, the phrase 极乐 (jílè) means "paradise" or "nirvana", while the phrase 极品 (jípǐn) means "the best of the best".Overall, the character 极 is a versatile character with a rich history and a variety of meanings. It is an important character for HSK learners to master, as it is used in a wide range of contexts and can be used to express a variety of ideas.