极力

• Pinyin: jí lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 极 = 木 + 亟 (timber at the apex — utmost); 力 = pictograph of a flexed arm (strength)

Meaning

With all one's might; doing one's utmost; strenuously. Describes exerting the maximum possible effort.

Used to describe determined, wholehearted effort — often to advocate, defend, or oppose something. Common collocations: 极力主张 (strongly advocate), 极力反对 (strongly oppose), 极力辩解 (desperately explain oneself), 极力掩盖 (desperately conceal). More formal and literary than 拼命.

Examples

1. 辩护律师极力为被告进行辩护，援引大量证据证明其在案发当晚拥有充分的不在场证明。 The defense attorney fought hard for the defendant, citing extensive evidence to show that he had a solid alibi on the night of the incident.
2. 公司公关部门极力淡化此次事件的负面影响，但媒体的持续追踪报道使危机公关陷入困境。 The company’s PR department tried hard to downplay the negative impact of the incident, but continued media coverage pushed the crisis response into a bind.
3. 他极力向导师阐述自己的研究思路，希望能够获得支持以推进这一极具挑战性的课题。 He tried his best to explain his research idea to his advisor, hoping to gain support to move this highly challenging project forward.

Usage Guide

Context: debate, diplomacy, journalism

Tone: determined

Do Say

• 面对媒体的质疑，企业负责人极力解释此次产品召回是出于对消费者安全的高度负责，而非产品质量存在根本性缺陷。(Faced with media questioning, the company's person in charge did their utmost to explain that this product recall was out of a high degree of responsibility for consumer safety, not a fundamental quality defect.)
• 两国外交代表在谈判桌上各自极力维护本国的核心利益，最终历经十二轮磋商才艰难达成框架协议。(The diplomatic representatives of both countries did their utmost to defend their respective core interests at the negotiating table, and finally reached a framework agreement with great difficulty after twelve rounds of consultations.)

Don't Say

• 极力地跑 — 极力 describes sustained mental or verbal effort, not physical running; use 拼命跑 or 全力奔跑 instead

Origin & History

极 (extreme/utmost) + 力 (strength/effort)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal