极度

• Pinyin: jí dù
• Hanzi breakdown: 极 = 木 + 亟 (timber at the apex — utmost point); 度 = 广 + 廿 + 又 (measure/extent)

Meaning

Extremely; to the utmost degree. Indicates that something has reached an extreme level.

Stronger than 非常 or 十分. Used with negative states or intense conditions: 极度疲惫 (extreme exhaustion), 极度兴奋 (extreme excitement), 极度匮乏 (extreme scarcity). Common in medical, psychological, and literary contexts. Often implies the state is abnormal or alarming.

Examples

1. 连续作战四十八小时后，士兵们极度疲惫，几乎无法保持清醒，亟需补充睡眠和物资。 After fighting continuously for forty-eight hours, the soldiers were utterly exhausted and could barely stay awake, urgently needing sleep and supplies.
2. 事故发生后，目击者极度恐惧，心理创伤严重，需要专业心理干预才能逐步恢复正常生活。 After the accident, the witness was extremely terrified and deeply traumatized, needing professional psychological intervention to gradually return to normal life.
3. 灾区物资极度匮乏，救援队不得不优先将有限的食物和饮用水分配给老人和儿童。 Supplies in the disaster area were extremely scarce, so the rescue team had to prioritize distributing the limited food and drinking water to the elderly and children.

Usage Guide

Context: medicine, psychology, journalism

Tone: intense

Do Say

• 该患者入院时处于极度脱水状态，医护人员立即启动紧急补液程序，并对其各项生命体征进行持续监测。(The patient was in a state of extreme dehydration upon admission; medical staff immediately initiated emergency fluid replacement procedures and continuously monitored vital signs.)
• 长期处于极度压力环境下的员工罹患焦虑症和抑郁症的风险显著高于普通人群，企业应引起足够重视。(Employees in chronically extreme-pressure environments face a significantly higher risk of anxiety and depression than the general population, and enterprises should pay sufficient attention to this.)

Don't Say

• 极度好 — use 极好 or 非常好; 极度 pairs with conditions or states, especially negative or intense ones, not simple positive evaluations

Origin & History

极 (extreme/utmost) + 度 (degree/extent)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal