ごく

ご

く

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

usually written using kana alone

Common intensifier used before adjectives, verbs, and nouns. Often translates to 'very' or 'quite', but can also mean 'extremely' depending on context.

この問もん題だいはごく簡かん単たんだ。
This problem is very easy.
ごく普ふ通つうの一いち日にちだった。
It was a very ordinary day.

numeric

10^48; quindecillion

Only when written 極

A numeric unit meaning 10^48 (quindecillion in the short scale). Rarely used outside mathematical or historical contexts.

極ごくは10の48乗じょうを表あらわす単たん位いだ。
極 is a unit representing 10 to the 48th power.

See all 82 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

ごく普ふ通つうの〈物もの〉quite an ordinary ...
これはごく普ふ通つうの家か庭ていで育そだった人ひとの話はなしです。
This is a story about someone raised in a perfectly ordinary family.
ごく一いち部ぶの〈人ひと〉only a small fraction of people
その事じ実じつを知しっているのはごく一いち部ぶの人ひとだけだ。
Only a small handful of people know that fact.
ごくわずかな〈数かず〉an extremely small amount of ...
成せい功こうする確かく率りつはごくわずかな数すう字じにすぎない。
The chance of success is nothing more than an extremely small figure.
ごく自し然ぜんに〈動どう詞し〉quite naturally, without effort
彼かれはごく自し然ぜんに日本にほん語ごを話はなし始はじめた。
He started speaking Japanese quite naturally.

Expressions

聞きいて極ごく楽らく見みて地じ獄ごくdon't believe everything you hear; hearsay paradise, reality hell

Kanji

極extreme, pole, extremely

Related words

非ひ常じょうにN4sense 1
非常に is a formal intensifier like ごく, but ごく tends to imply the utmost degree or an inherent extreme, while 非常に is more neutral about degree.
とてもN4sense 1
とても is the everyday, casual intensifier, while ごく sounds more formal or literary and often modifies set phrases like ごく普通.
極きわめてN2sense 1
極めて is a stronger, more formal intensifier used in writing, whereas ごく is milder and pairs with a narrower set of adjectives and nouns.
ごくごくN1
ごく is a milder intensifier meaning 'quite' or 'very', while ごくごく is a stronger, more emphatic version of the same word.
ウルトラ
極 is a native prefix meaning 'extremely' used in more neutral or formal descriptions (極上, 極寒), whereas ウルトラ is a flashier loanword often used in product names and casual exaggeration.

Word family· 34

極ごく秘ひN1
top secret; absolute secrecy
極ごく上じょう
first-rate; finest quality; the best
極ごく悪あく
heinous; atrocious; extremely wicked
至し極ごく
very; extremely; most · supreme; utmost; best
極ごく意い
innermost secrets; essence; heart

Show 17 more

極ごく道どう
wicked; evil; immoral · wastrel; scoundrel; villain · organized crime; yakuza; underworld
極ごっ寒かん
extreme cold; intense cold; midwinter
極ごく太ぶと
very thick; extremely thick · thick, heavy thread
極ごく楽らくとんぼ
happy-go-lucky person; carefree optimist
極ごく細ぼそ
superfine; extra-fine; extremely thin · extra-fine woollen yarn
極ごく貧ひん
extreme poverty; destitution
極ごく彩さい色しき
richly colored; vividly colored; gaudy
ごくごくN1
extremely; highly; very
極ごく似に
strikingly similar; bearing a strong resemblance
極ごく内ない
highly confidential; top secret
極ごく印いん
hallmark; stamp; impress · brand; stigma; reputation
極ごく味み
great flavor; excellent taste
極ごく密みつ
absolute secrecy; top secret
極ごく暑しょ
intense heat; peak of summer's heat
極ごく月げつ
December; last month of the year
極ごく熱あつ
extremely hot (especially sake)
極ごく熱ねつ
extreme heat; intense heat

See all 34 in Explore →

Written forms

ごくUsage90%
The adverb is normally written in kana; the kanji 極 is rare for this sense.
極ごくUsage8%
Kanji spelling for the adverb sense; uncommon in modern writing.
極ごくUsage1%
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana variant; very rare.
ゴクUsage1%

Etymology

Derived from the kanji 極 meaning 'extreme' or 'utmost'. The adverbial use developed from the idea of reaching the limit.