Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

極限 (kyokugen) Japanese meaning: utmost limit | Kotomora

極きょく限げん

きょ

く

げ

ん

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

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.

彼かれは体たい力りょくの極きょく限げんまで走はしり続つづけた。

He kept running to the very limit of his physical strength.

極きょく限げん状じょう態たいでの判はん断だんは難むずかしい。

Making decisions under extreme conditions is difficult.

2

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

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.

Usage patterns

〈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.

Kanji

極extreme, pole, extremely
限limit, restrict, to best of ability

Related words

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.

Don't confuse with

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.

Word family

極きょく限げん値ち
limit; limiting value
極きょく限げん状じょう態たい
extreme situation; extreme conditions
極きょく限げん環かん境きょう
extreme environment
中ちゅう心しん極きょく限

Etymology

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

げん

定てい

理り

central limit theorem

極きょく限げん作さ業ぎょうロボット

robot for hazardous conditions