Let \(g\) be a real or complex Lie algebra. The concept of dipolarization was introduced by the third author. It is a pair \((g^+,g^-)\) of subalgebras such that \(g^+\oplus g^- =g\), \([g^+,g^+]\subset V\), \([g^-,g^-]\subset V\), \([X,g]\subset V\) iff \(X\in g^+\cap g^-\), where \(\operatorname{codim} V=1\). By definition, \(Z\in g\) is a characteristic element if \(V=\{x\in g\mid b(Z,x)=0\}\) where \(b(\cdot,\cdot)\) is the Killing form. In complex semisimple algebras each non-zero element is a characteristic element of some dipolarization if and only if it is a semisimple one. Each dipolarization in a complex semisimple algebra comes from a gradation \(g=\sum_k g_k\).
As an application, the following theorem is proved. The coset space \(G/H\) of a semisimple group is a parakähler manifold if and only if \(H\) is an open subset of a Levi subgroup of a parabolic subgroup of \(G\). The authors also give the relation between semisimple parakähler homogeneous manifolds and hyperbolic semisimple orbits.