Taxonomy of meanings for 極:　　

Additional information about 極

說文解字: 【極】，棟也。从木、亟聲。 【渠力切】

Criteria
• LIMIT
  

  1. The most common word for the extreme limit of anything, especially of abstract things, is jí 極.

  2. Jì 際 commonly refers to the interface between two realms of things.

  3. Yín 垠 refers to a distant limit on earth.

  4. Gāi 垓 is a rare and rarified word referring to cosmological limits.

  5. Yá 涯 and the etymologically related yá 崖 refer poetically to the limitations of things in time.

  6. Liàng 量 can refer abstractly to the fixed limit to something, for example the use of wine at meals.

• IMPORTANT
  

  1. The most general term for the relative importance and crucial nature of something is yào 要 (ant. xì 細 ).

  2. Zhòng 重 (ant. qīng 輕 "of no consequence") focusses on what carries considerable weight in a certain context.

  3. Zhǔ 主 (ant. cì 次 "secondary") refers to what is crucial and primary, or dominant, in a certain context.

  4. Běn 本 (ant. mò 末 ) refers to what is basic and and a matter of substance in a context.

  5. Shǒu 首 (wěi 尾 / mò 末 ) refers what deserves to come first or what deserves to be regarded of first importance.

  6. Jí 極 refers to the ultimate most elevated point of something.

  7. Jī 機 refers to the crucial mechanism that makes something work properly.

• BEAM
  

  [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

  [GENERAL-USE/TECHNICAL-TERM]

  1. The current general term for a beam is liáng 梁, but specifically this refers to the north-south orientated rafters.

  [GENERAL!]

  2. Dòng 棟 refers to the ridge-pole of the roof, oriented usually in the east-western direction. It is also general term for the east-western beams in a roof construction. [HUANG 1995: 1044]

  [SPECIFIC], [TECHNICAL-TERM]

  3. Jí 極 refers to the beam at the top of the roof which is only visible from inside the house, and is thus a specific term for dòng 棟 in its specific meaning.

  [SPECIFIC], [TECHNICAL-TERM]

  4. Luán 欒 refers to a bent piece of wood on the top of a pillar. [HANYU DACIDIAN: vol. 4. pp. 1371; ill.: HAYASHI 1976: pp. 72, tab. 4-50]

  [SPECIFIC], [TECHNICAL-TERM]

  5. Jí 极 is another term for the ridge-pole used in pre-Qin times; it does not generally refer to the east-southern beams: [HUANG 1995: 1044]

  [SPECIFIC], [TECHNICAL-TERM]

  6. Fú 桴 refers to the east-western beam which is second when counted from the ridge-pole: [HUANG 1995: 1044 - 1045]

  [SPECIFIC], [TECHNICAL-TERM]

  7. Méi 楣 is another term for fú 桴. Later, the word began to be used for the horizontal beam above the door. [HUANG 1995: 1044 - 1045]

  [SPECIFIC], [TECHNICAL-TERM]

  8. Guǐ 庪 refers to the third east-western beam. [HUANG 1995: 1045]

  [SPECIFIC], [TECHNICAL-TERM]

  9. Yǐn (written like 隱 but with 木 radical) and fén 棼 both refer to the highest east-western ridge-pole of the double-roof. [HUANG 1995: 1045]

  [SPECIFIC], [TECHNICAL-TERM]

  10. Lǔ (written 木 + 呂 ) refers to the beam supporting the rafters of the roof. [HANYU DACIDIAN: vol. 4, pp. 973]

  NB: A standard building has the main gate facing south, and all beams in the north-south direction are called liáng 梁, all beams in the east-west direction are called dòng 棟.

• PERFECT
  

  1. The current general word for ultimate perfection is zhì 至 (ant.* liè 劣 "very inferior").

  2. Jí 極 refers to the attainment of an ultimate point or an ultimate stage.

  3. Jué 絕 focusses on the comparative aspect of excelling all others.

  4. Yōu 優 (ant. liè 劣 "very inferior") focusses on the comparative aspect of excelling most others.

  5. Quán 全 (ant. cán 殘 "seriously deficient") focusses on the complete presence of some conditions of excellence.

• SUMMIT
  

  1. The most current general word for the topmost part of anything is probably dǐng 頂 (ant. lù 麓 "foot of mountain", * dāng 當 "bottom").

  2. Diān 顛 / 巔 (ant. xià 下 "foot (of mountain") refers most often to mountain tops, but as the graphic etymology of the original character might lead one to expect, the word can also refer to the crown of the head.

  3. Lóng 隆 (ant. bēi 卑 refers to the highest point of anything but adds the connotation of general venerability.

  4. Jí 極 and zhì 至 "ultimate point" are very abstract words referring, occasionally, to the highest point of concrete objects.

  5. Liáng 梁 refers to the ridge at the top of a mountain range.

  6. Fēng 峰 is a very rare word in pre-Buddhist Chinese and refers to the top of a high mountain.

• INTENSELY
  

  1. The current general word referring to high degree of something or intensity of the application of a predicate is shèn 甚 (ant.* post-Buddhist (NANBEICHAO) lŸè 略 "slightly").

  2. Yǐ 已 and dà 大 refer to an extreme degree. See also EXCESSIVE

  3. Zhì 至 and jí 極 refers to the ultimate or extreme high degree of something, but the meaning of jí 極 was weakened by Han times times to something like the general meaning of shèn 甚.

  4. Zuì 最 refers to the largest degree or highest intensity within a given set compared. See MOST.

  5. Jìng 勁 and jí 疾 add the notion of vigour to that of intensity of degree.

  6. Hòu 厚 typically refers to a high degree or high intensity of something positive.

  7. Zhòng 重 freely refers to an impressive intensity beyond expectation of both positive or negative qualities or actions.

  8. Tòng 痛 refers specifically to a high degree of feelings or emotions.

Word relations
• Object: (REACH)高/HIGH The manifestly dominant general word is gāo 高(ant. bēi 卑 "low" and xià 下 "low") which refers to concrete as well as abstract elevation. 1 Attribution
• Contrast: (REACH)竟/END
• Assoc: (EXHAUST)盡/EXHAUST The current general word for using up anything material or immaterial is jìn 盡.
• Synon: (EXCESSIVE)甚/INTENSELY The current general word referring to high degree of something or intensity of the application of a predicate is shèn 甚 (ant.* post-Buddhist (NANBEICHAO) lyuè 略 "slightly"). 1 Attribution
• Synon: (ASSESS)量/ASSESS Liáng 量 refers very often literally to measuring physical dimensions of any kind, but can also be used figuratively to mean "fathom, imagine fully the size of something". [LITERAL!] 1 Attribution