及格 (jí gé) is a verb meaning 'to pass'—specifically, to achieve the minimum required score on an exam, test, or assessment. The character 及 means 'to reach' or 'to attain', and 格 means 'standard', 'criterion', or 'level'. Together, they literally mean 'to reach the standard', emphasizing that the result meets the official passing threshold—not just 'doing well', but fulfilling the bare requirement.

This word is used almost exclusively in academic, professional, or formal evaluation contexts: school exams, language proficiency tests (e.g., HSK), driver’s license theory tests, or medical licensing exams. It is neutral in register—neither overly formal nor colloquial—and commonly appears in sentences with verbs like 考 (to take an exam), 得 (to obtain), or 成绩 (score). Unlike general words for 'success', 及格 carries no implication of excellence; scoring exactly 60% on a 100-point scale can still be 及格.