绝

• Pinyin: jué
• Hanzi breakdown: 绝 = 纟(silk) + 色 (color) — silk being cut off, absolute end

Meaning

Absolutely; extremely; to cut off; to be extinct. Expresses extremity or finality.

A versatile character with strong emphatic force. As an adverb, it intensifies negatives or superlatives. As a verb, it means to sever or become extinct. Appears in many compounds: 绝对 (absolute), 绝望 (despair), 拒绝 (refuse), 灭绝 (exterminate). Often conveys a sense of finality or extremity.

Examples

1. 这个消息绝不能泄露出去，否则后果不堪设想。 This information absolutely cannot be leaked, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.
2. 这道菜的味道绝了，你一定要尝尝。 The taste of this dish is amazing; you have to try it.
3. 为了保护濒临绝种的动物，政府采取了严格措施。 To protect animals on the verge of extinction, the government has taken strict measures.

Usage Guide

Context: emphasis, prohibitions, exclamations

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 我绝不会放弃！(I will absolutely never give up!)
• 这风景真是绝了！(This scenery is absolutely stunning!)

Don't Say

• 绝好吃。(Needs the right structure — say 绝对好吃 or 好吃极了 or just 绝了)

Origin & History

Depicts silk threads being cut, symbolizing severance or termination. Extended to mean extreme or absolute, as in reaching the ultimate point.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal