极为: extremely (formal degree adverb)
【高05】程度副词 / adverbs
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
极为 + adjective (or attitude verb): “extremely, to the highest degree”. It is the written 非常 / 十分: 前景极为广阔, 极为重视, 极为不满. It goes before the word it strengthens, preferably a two-syllable one (极为重要, 极为谨慎), and gives a measured judgement rather than an exclamation.
Do not mix it up with 极了 (hsk3-g63), which is spoken and goes after the adjective: 好极了, 累极了. 极为 takes neither 了 nor a complement, and no second degree adverb is added to it (no 很极为). With a verb, it goes with verbs of attitude or appreciation: 重视, 不满, 反感.
Register: reports, press, academic writing, speeches. In conversation, 非常, 特别 or 极了 sound more natural.
Examples
这件事极为重要。
Zhè jiàn shì jíwéi zhòngyào.This matter is extremely important.
校方对这次事故极为重视。
Xiàofāng duì zhè cì shìgù jíwéi zhòngshì.The school takes this accident extremely seriously.
这个行业的发展前景极为广阔。
Zhège hángyè de fāzhǎn qiánjǐng jíwéi guǎngkuò.The development prospects of this industry are extremely broad.
老人对陌生人的电话极为警惕。
Lǎorén duì mòshēngrén de diànhuà jíwéi jǐngtì.The old man is extremely wary of phone calls from strangers.
齐白石是极为杰出的画家。
Qí Báishí shì jíwéi jiéchū de huàjiā.Qi Baishi is an extremely outstanding painter.
这个实验的条件极为苛刻，普通的实验室很难做到。
Zhège shíyàn de tiáojiàn jíwéi kēkè, pǔtōng de shíyànshì hěn nán zuòdào.The conditions of this experiment are extremely demanding; an ordinary laboratory would find them hard to meet.
Common mistakes
✗ 这个办法好极为。 → ✓ 这个办法极为有效。 (极为 goes before the word; after the adjective it is 极了: 好极了).
✗ 他很极为聪明。 → ✓ 他极为聪明。 (no second degree adverb).
✗ 今天极为寒冷了。 → ✓ 今天极为寒冷。 / 今天冷极了。 (极为 takes no 了; in speech, 冷极了).