绝迹 em 30 segundos
- Juéjì means to disappear completely or go extinct, literally meaning 'no traces left.'
- It is a formal word used for animals, traditions, or people who vanish permanently.
- Grammatically, it is an intransitive verb often paired with 'le' (了) or 'yǐjīng' (已经).
- It is broader than 'mièjué' (extinction) as it can refer to local disappearance or objects.
The Chinese word 绝迹 (juéjì) is a powerful and evocative verb that describes the total disappearance or extinction of something. At its core, the word combines two characters: jué (绝), meaning 'to cut off,' 'absolute,' or 'exhausted,' and jì (迹), meaning 'trace,' 'track,' or 'footprint.' When these two characters are fused, they literally paint a picture of a situation where the footprints have been cut off—nothing remains to show that something once existed. In modern usage, it is most frequently encountered in scientific, environmental, and historical contexts, but it also finds its way into daily conversation when discussing social phenomena or personal habits that have vanished.
- Biological Context
- This is perhaps the most literal use of the word. When a species of animal or plant no longer exists in a specific region or across the entire planet, we say it has juéjì. For example, '华南虎在野外已经绝迹了' (The South China Tiger has already disappeared/become extinct in the wild).
- Social and Cultural Context
- It refers to traditions, customs, or physical objects that have fallen out of use. Think of the horse-drawn carriage in modern cities or the use of pagers. These things have '绝迹' from our daily lives. It carries a sense of finality and historical transition.
- Personal or Behavioral Context
- In a more informal or literary sense, it can describe a person who stops visiting a certain place. If a regular customer stops coming to a cafe entirely, the owner might say that person's 'trace' has vanished (juéjì).
“随着城市化的进程，这里的萤火虫已经绝迹了。”
The emotional weight of juéjì often leans towards nostalgia or environmental concern. It is rarely used for things that disappear briefly; it implies a long-term or permanent absence. When a scientist says a plant is juéjì, it is a grave statement. When a historian says a dialect is juéjì, it marks the end of a cultural era. Understanding this word requires recognizing that 'trace' (jì) is the keyword—if there is not even a footprint left, it is truly juéjì.
Using 绝迹 (juéjì) correctly involves understanding its grammatical role as an intransitive verb. It typically functions as the predicate of a sentence, describing the status of a subject. Unlike 'to extinguish' in English, which can take an object, juéjì usually stands alone or is followed by the particle le (了) to indicate a completed change of state.
- Pattern 1: [Subject] + (已经) + 绝迹 + 了
- This is the most common way to say something has disappeared.
Example: 这种古老的习俗在现代都市已经绝迹了。(This ancient custom has already disappeared in modern cities.) - Pattern 2: [Subject] + 在 [Location] + 绝迹
- Used to specify where the disappearance has occurred.
Example: 这种鸟类在北半球几乎绝迹。(This bird species has almost disappeared from the Northern Hemisphere.) - Pattern 3: 使 [Something] 绝迹
- Though less common, you can use 'shǐ' (使) to indicate an external cause.
Example: 这种药物使天花在世界范围内绝迹。(This medicine made smallpox disappear globally.)
“如果不加强保护，这些珍稀动物很快就会绝迹。”
When using juéjì, pay attention to the degree of disappearance. It is often paired with adverbs like jīhū (几乎 - almost), wánquán (完全 - completely), or zǎoyǐ (早已 - long ago). For instance, '早已绝迹' emphasizes that the disappearance happened a long time ago, adding a layer of historical depth to your sentence. It is also important to note that juéjì sounds quite formal. In casual conversation, people might simply say méiyǒu le (没有了) or kàn bù jiàn le (看不见了), but using 绝迹 shows a higher level of Chinese proficiency and precision.
In the real world, 绝迹 (juéjì) is a staple of specific intellectual and public discourses. You won't hear it much at a grocery store, but you will encounter it frequently in the following arenas:
- •Nature Documentaries and Science News: Narrators often use juéjì when discussing the impact of climate change or habitat loss. If you watch CCTV-9 (the documentary channel) or read articles about the Yangtze River dolphin, this word will appear repeatedly.
- •Historical Museums: When visiting a museum, the descriptions of ancient artifacts or tribes that no longer exist will use juéjì to describe their disappearance from the historical record.
- •Sociological Debates: Scholars use the term to describe the death of languages or the vanishing of traditional crafts like hand-woven silk or specific types of folk opera.
“这种手工艺在年轻人中已经快要绝迹了。”
Interestingly, juéjì is also used in a literary or dramatic way in novels. An author might write that a hero '从此在江湖上绝迹' (from then on, his traces vanished from the martial arts world). This implies that the person went into deep hiding or retired permanently, adding a sense of mystery and finality. You might also hear it in news reports about public health, specifically regarding the eradication of diseases. For instance, when a country is declared polio-free, the health department might announce that the virus has juéjì within their borders. This word carries an air of authority and definitive conclusion that simpler words like 'gone' simply cannot match.
While 绝迹 (juéjì) is a useful word, its formal tone and specific meaning lead to several common errors for English speakers. Understanding these will help you sound more like a native speaker.
- Mistake 1: Overusing it for temporary absence
- If you can't find your keys, don't say '我的钥匙绝迹了'. That sounds like your keys have become an extinct species. Use bùjiànle (不见了) instead. Juéjì is for things that are gone for good or gone from a large area.
- Mistake 2: Confusing it with 消失 (xiāoshī)
- Xiāoshī is a general word for 'disappear' (like a magician's trick or a cloud). Juéjì is much stronger—it implies the 'trace' is gone. You can't say 'the sun juéjì behind the clouds' because the sun will come back. You use juéjì for things that don't come back easily.
- Mistake 3: Using it as a transitive verb
- In English, you can say 'We extinguished the species.' In Chinese, you cannot say '我们绝迹了那个物种.' You must use a 'making' structure like '我们使那个物种绝迹了' or use the verb mièjué (灭绝) in a different way.
❌ “他在人群中绝迹了。” (Incorrect for 'He disappeared in the crowd')
✅ “他在人群中消失了。” (Correct: He disappeared in the crowd)
Another subtle mistake is using it for people in a positive context. Saying someone has juéjì often sounds like they have vanished from society or died out. If you just mean they are busy and haven't called, juéjì is way too dramatic. Stick to shīlián (失联 - lost contact) or máng (忙 - busy). Reserve juéjì for when you want to emphasize that a certain type of person (like 'honest politicians' or 'true gentlemen') no longer seems to exist in the world.
Chinese has many words for 'disappearing.' Choosing the right one depends on the context and the 'feeling' of the disappearance. Here is how 绝迹 (juéjì) compares to its cousins:
- vs 灭绝 (mièjué)
- Difference: Mièjué is strictly biological and global. It means every single member of a species is dead. Juéjì is broader; a species can be juéjì in China but still exist in Africa. Juéjì also applies to non-living things like customs.
- vs 消失 (xiāoshī)
- Difference: Xiāoshī is neutral and temporary. A person xiāoshī around a corner. Juéjì is formal and permanent. It’s the difference between 'the bird flew away' and 'the bird species is gone from the earth.'
- vs 绝种 (juézhǒng)
- Difference: Juézhǒng is specifically 'to go extinct' in a reproductive sense (to end the lineage). It is often used as a harsh curse word in slang, whereas juéjì is a refined, academic, or literary term.
- vs 消逝 (xiāoshì)
- Difference: Xiāoshì is a poetic word, often used for time, youth, or memories fading away. Juéjì is more concrete about the physical 'trace' being gone.
When in doubt, if you are writing a formal report about the environment or a thoughtful essay about changing times, 绝迹 is your best choice. It conveys a sense of loss and permanence that other words lack. If you are just talking about your cat hiding under the bed, please use duǒ qǐlái le (躲起来了) or bùjiànle (不见了)!
Guia de pronúncia
- Pronouncing 'jué' like 'joo-ay' (incorrect 'u' sound).
- Using the 1st tone for 'jì' (jī) instead of the 4th tone.
- Confusing 'jì' with 'jí' (rising tone).
- Failing to round the lips for the 'ü' in 'jué'.
- Merging the two syllables into one 'jweji' sound.
Exemplos por nível
恐龙已经绝迹了。
Dinosaurs have already become extinct.
Simple subject + adverb + verb + particle 'le'.
这里没有鸟，鸟绝迹了。
There are no birds here; birds have disappeared.
Using '绝迹' to explain why something is not there.
那种花在森林里绝迹了。
That kind of flower has disappeared from the forest.
Location + verb.
这种小鱼绝迹了吗？
Has this small fish become extinct?
Question form using 'ma'.
很久以前，它们就绝迹了。
A long time ago, they vanished.
Time phrase + adverb 'jiù' + verb.
如果不保护，大象会绝迹。
If not protected, elephants will disappear.
Conditional 'if' + future 'huì'.
在这个岛上，蛇已经绝迹。
On this island, snakes have already disappeared.
Prepositional phrase 'zài...shàng'.
这种老车现在绝迹了。
This kind of old car has disappeared now.
Using 'now' (现在) with '绝迹'.
城市里，马车早就绝迹了。
In the city, horse carriages vanished long ago.
Adverb 'zǎojiù' (long ago) emphasizes the time.
这种方言在村子里快要绝迹了。
This dialect is about to disappear in the village.
'kuàiyào...le' indicates something about to happen.
因为污染，河里的鱼绝迹了。
Because of pollution, the fish in the river have vanished.
Using 'yīnwèi' (because) to show cause.
这种古老的艺术不应该绝迹。
This ancient art should not disappear.
Modal verb 'bù yìnggāi' (should not).
在现代社会，这种习惯已经绝迹。
In modern society, this habit has already disappeared.
'Modern society' as the context.
由于猎杀，这种老虎几乎绝迹。
Due to hunting, this tiger is almost extinct.
'yóuyú' (due to) + 'jīhū' (almost).
这些动物在野外已经绝迹了。
These animals have already disappeared in the wild.
'zài yěwài' (in the wild) is a common phrase with this word.
那个品牌的手表现在已经绝迹了。
That brand of watch has already disappeared now.
Using 'brand' (品牌) as the subject.
随着科技的发展，电报已经绝迹了。
With the development of technology, telegrams have disappeared.
Using 'suízhe' (along with) to show progress.
这种鸟类在当地几乎已经绝迹。
This bird species has almost disappeared locally.
'dāngdì' (locally) limits the scope of '绝迹'.
我们要防止这些珍稀植物绝迹。
We must prevent these rare plants from becoming extinct.
Verb 'fángzhǐ' (prevent) + object clause.
在闹市区，安静的环境已经绝迹了。
In the busy downtown area, a quiet environment has vanished.
Abstract subject (environment).
这种老式相机在市场上已经绝迹。
This old-style camera has disappeared from the market.
'zài shìchǎng shàng' (on the market).
许多传统手工艺正面临绝迹的危险。
Many traditional handicrafts are facing the danger of disappearance.
Noun phrase '绝迹的危险' (danger of extinction).
自从那场灾难后，这种鱼就绝迹了。
Since that disaster, this fish has vanished.
'zìcóng...hòu' (since...after).
他的身影在村子里彻底绝迹了。
His figure has completely disappeared from the village.
Metaphorical use for a person's presence.
在高度工业化的地区，这种昆虫早已绝迹。
In highly industrialized areas, this insect disappeared long ago.
Complex adverbial phrase describing the area.
虽然这种病还没绝迹，但已经得到了控制。
Although this disease hasn't vanished, it has been controlled.
Conjunction 'suīrán...dàn' (although...but).
如果环境继续恶化，更多的物种将会绝迹。
If the environment continues to worsen, more species will become extinct.
Conditional sentence with 'jiānghuì' for future certainty.
那种纯粹的友谊在成年人的世界里似乎绝迹了。
That kind of pure friendship seems to have vanished in the adult world.
Abstract metaphorical usage with 'sìhū' (seems).
由于过度捕捞，这种海产品在近海已经绝迹。
Due to overfishing, this seafood has disappeared from near-shore waters.
Causal link: 'yóuyú' + reason + result.
这种建筑风格在那个国家已经基本绝迹。
This architectural style has basically disappeared in that country.
'jīběn' (basically) modifies the extent.
他发誓要使这种罪恶的交易在城市中绝迹。
He swore to make this evil trade vanish from the city.
Causative structure 'shǐ...juéjì'.
随着新媒体的兴起，纸质报纸并没有绝迹。
With the rise of new media, paper newspapers have not disappeared.
Negation 'bìng méiyǒu' for emphasis.
在快节奏的现代生活中，慢生活的理念似乎已然绝迹。
In the fast-paced modern life, the concept of 'slow living' seems to have already vanished.
High-level vocabulary like 'yǐrán' and 'lǐniàn'.
这种极其罕见的血型在人群中几乎绝迹。
This extremely rare blood type has almost vanished among the population.
Scientific context with 'jíqí hǎnjiàn' (extremely rare).
那个曾经辉煌的文明在历史的长河中绝迹了。
That once-brilliant civilization vanished in the long river of history.
Literary metaphor 'lìshǐ de chánghé'.
这种药剂的广泛使用，使得该病毒在短时间内绝迹。
The widespread use of this agent caused the virus to vanish in a short time.
Formal 'shǐdé' structure.
自从他隐居山林，外界就再也没有他的音讯，彻底绝迹了。
Since he lived in seclusion in the mountains, there has been no news from him; he has completely vanished.
Using '绝迹' for a person's social presence.
在全球化浪潮下，许多小众语言正面临绝迹的厄运。
Under the wave of globalization, many minority languages are facing the misfortune of extinction.
Advanced noun phrase '绝迹的厄运' (misfortune of extinction).
那种不求回报的奉献精神在当今社会并非绝迹。
That spirit of selfless dedication has not exactly vanished in today's society.
Double negative 'bìng fēi' (is not exactly).
随着法律的完善，这种不合理的现象已经大为绝迹。
With the improvement of laws, this unreasonable phenomenon has largely disappeared.
'dàwéi' (to a large extent) modifying the verb.
在资本的疯狂扩张下，那些充满温情的小店已近乎绝迹。
Under the frantic expansion of capital, those small shops full of warmth have nearly vanished.
Critical social commentary tone.
此物种之绝迹，实乃人类文明之大憾。
The extinction of this species is truly a great regret for human civilization.
Classical Chinese 'zhī' and 'shí nǎi' structures.
在物欲横流的时代，那份淡泊名利的心境早已绝迹于世。
In an era of rampant materialism, that state of mind indifferent to fame and wealth has long since vanished from the world.
Idiomatic 'wùyù hèngliú' and 'dànbó mínglì'.
由于生态链的断裂，该地区的捕食者已经完全绝迹。
Due to the breaking of the ecological chain, predators in this area have completely vanished.
Technical scientific terminology.
纵观历史，无数曾经鼎盛的王朝终究难逃绝迹的命运。
Looking across history, countless once-prosperous dynasties could not escape the fate of vanishing.
Philosophical reflection on history.
他的足迹曾遍布荒漠，如今却绝迹于繁华都市。
His footprints once covered the desert, but now they have vanished from the bustling city.
Parallelism and contrast.
在严厉的打击下，盗版软件在这一平台上基本绝迹。
Under severe crackdowns, pirated software has basically vanished from this platform.
Legal and digital context.
这种学术上的真知灼见，在当下的浮躁风气中已属绝迹。
This kind of academic insight is already a vanished rarity in today's impetuous atmosphere.
Using '绝迹' to describe rare intellectual quality.
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
— Has disappeared or gone extinct. Used to state a current fact.
这种鸟在这里绝迹了。
— Almost gone; on the verge of disappearing.
传统剪纸艺术快要绝迹了。
— A place where something has vanished from.
这是那种植物已经绝迹的地方。
— Extinct species.
博物馆里有很多绝迹的物种。
— A phenomenon that no longer occurs.
这种不文明的现象已经绝迹。
— Vanished from that point onwards.
他离开后就从此绝迹。
— Vanished footprints (literary).
雪地上只有他绝迹的足迹。
— Locally extinct.
这种鱼在当地绝迹已久。
— The threat of extinction.
我们必须面对物种绝迹的威胁。
— Has been vanished for many years.
这种怪病已经绝迹多年。
Expressões idiomáticas
— To hide one's voice and conceal one's tracks; to disappear from public view.
那个明星在丑闻之后就销声匿迹了。
Formal— To find a way out of a desperate situation; survival at the brink of death.
公司在破产边缘绝处逢生。
General— The sound of footsteps in a lonely valley; something very rare and precious.
他的建议在当时真可谓是空谷足音。
Literary— Like a stone sinking into the sea; to disappear without a trace or response.
我寄出的信件石沉大海。
Informal— No news or information whatsoever.
他离家多年，一直杳无音信。
Formal— No traces left at all.
小偷逃跑后，现场踪迹全无。
General— To turn to ash and smoke; to vanish completely and quickly.
他的梦想在现实面前灰飞烟灭。
Literary— Nothing left; completely gone.
大火之后，屋里的家具荡然无存。
Formal— To vanish like smoke and clouds; usually for feelings or doubts.
误会解开后，她的怒气烟消云散了。
General— To fly away without wings; to disappear mysteriously (often for theft).
我的钱包在公交车上不翼而飞了。
InformalFamília de palavras
Substantivos
Verbos
Adjetivos
Summary
The word 绝迹 (juéjì) is your go-to term for describing something that has vanished so thoroughly that no evidence remains. Whether you're talking about the extinction of the dodo bird or the disappearance of public payphones, this word conveys a sense of finality. Example: '在现代大城市，马车已经绝迹了' (In modern big cities, horse carriages have already vanished).
- Juéjì means to disappear completely or go extinct, literally meaning 'no traces left.'
- It is a formal word used for animals, traditions, or people who vanish permanently.
- Grammatically, it is an intransitive verb often paired with 'le' (了) or 'yǐjīng' (已经).
- It is broader than 'mièjué' (extinction) as it can refer to local disappearance or objects.
Exemplo
恐龙在数千万年前就已经绝迹了。
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