TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
極
極 ＝ 木 ＋ 亟
ㄐㄧˊ · jí
noun — the utmost point, a pole; adv — extremely
字源 FORM — what the parts do
亟聲jí — gives the sounda person pressed top and bottom, urged on — urgent
The ridgepole (木), the highest timber in the roof — from the topmost point comes the utmost, the extreme: 極點、極端, and the poles 南極、北極. 亟 jí gives the sound clean; pushed to its end, 極 also means extremely — 極好.
意 · Meanings
(本義)屋極— the ridgepole, highest beam
→極點、極端— the utmost; the extreme常用
→南極、北極— a pole (south, north)常用
⇒極好、極了— extremely常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
亟jíthe phonetic standing alone — 亟 has no wood; add and it names the topmost beam