絶 means “cut off, absolute, extreme”

ぜつ · zetsu

Also: discontinue, sever, abstain

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

たえる, たやす, たつ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ゼツ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 12 strokes

The story

A thread (糸) beside 色, color: 絶 first meant cutting a thread clean through. Cut every tie and you reach the extreme: 絶対 is "absolutely", 絶滅 extinction, and 絶景 a view so stunning nothing compares.

Used in 絶対 (zettai, absolutely), 絶滅 (zetsumetsu, extinction), and 絶景 (zekkei, breathtaking view)

More from Spirit & Being

• 願 wish
• 現 appear
• 在 be located
• 容 contain
• 状 condition
• 神 god
• 福 fortune
• 存 exist
• 精 refined

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.