極きょく限げん

きょ

く

げ

ん

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

utmost limit; extremity; furthest point

Refers to the absolute physical, mental, or abstract boundary beyond which something cannot go. Often used in phrases like 極限まで or 極限状態.

Mathematical term for the value a function or sequence approaches. Used in calculus and analysis.

〈事こと〉〉が極限きょくげんに達たっするfor something to reach its utmost limit
彼かれの体たい力りょくは極きょく限げんに達たっしていた。
His physical strength had reached its absolute limit.
〈事こと〉の極きょく限げんを求もとめるto find the limit (of a function or sequence)
この関かん数すうの極きょく限げんを求もとめなさい。
Find the limit of this function.
極きょく限げんまで〈動どう詞し〉to push something to the utmost limit
彼かれは自じ分ぶんの力ちからを極きょく限げんまで試ためした。
He tested his own strength to the absolute limit.

限げん界かいN3sense 1
限界 is the everyday word for a physical or mental limit, while 極限 stresses the absolute, most extreme point on a scale.
限げん度どN2sense 1
限度 refers to an acceptable or permissible upper bound (e.g. a budget or tolerance), whereas 極限 describes the utmost extreme itself.
究きゅう極きょくN1
極限 refers to a literal limit or boundary that has been reached, while 究極 describes the most extreme or ideal form of something in an abstract, often idealized sense.

局きょく限げんN1
局限 (same reading, similar kanji) means to restrict or confine something to a limited scope, unlike 極限 which means the utmost extreme point.
極きょく端たんN1
極限 refers to the ultimate limit or boundary of something (e.g. 極限状態), while 極端 describes a position far from the norm or balance, not necessarily a hard limit.

Compound of 極 (きょく, 'extreme, pole') and 限 (げん, 'limit, boundary'). The combination straightforwardly yields 'extreme limit' or 'utmost boundary'.