most

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 最 has 12 strokes and marks the highest degree within the group being compared.
• Basic usage: 最も is read もっとも, and 最近 is read さいきん.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Degree and time
  • 最も短い means “shortest.” 最も places the following quality or action at the highest degree in a comparison.
  • 最近 means “recently,” referring to the near past relative to the present. The whole word functions as a time expression.