極きわめる

ichidan verb, transitive verb

take to the limit; pursue to the utmost; reach the end of

Used with objects such as a skill, way, field, or path to mean carrying it as far as it can go. In many contexts this can imply mastery, but the core idea is reaching the utmost limit.

• 彼かれは一いっ生しょうをかけてその道みちを極きわめた。

  He spent his life pursuing that path to its utmost.

• 職しょく人にんは一ひとつの技わざを極きわめるまで何なん年ねんも修しゅう業ぎょうする。

  A craftsperson trains for years until they have taken a single skill to its limit.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

reach a peak; be extremely; be at the height of

Often used in the pattern noun + を極める, where the noun names a state such as luxury, busyness, hardship, or confusion. Although grammatically transitive, it often translates naturally as 'be extremely ...' in English.

• 年ねん末まつの部ぶ署しょは多た忙ぼうを極きわめた。

  The department was extremely busy at the end of the year.

• 豪ごう華かを極きわめた宮きゅう殿でんが観かん光こう客きゃくを集あつめている。

  The palace, lavish to the extreme, is attracting tourists.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

exhaust completely; use every possible word; leave nothing unsaid

Only when written 極める

Limited use, especially in expressions like 口を極めて褒める or 口を極めて非難する, meaning to praise or criticize in the strongest possible terms. Restricted this sense to the spelling 極める.

• 評ひょう論ろん家かはその映えい画がを口くちを極きわめて非ひ難なんした。

  The critic denounced the film in the strongest possible terms.

• 先せん生せいは彼かの女じょの研けん究きゅうを口くちを極きわめて褒ほめた。

  The professor praised her research with every possible word of approval.