期末 (qī mò) — end of term | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

The end of a school term (before final exams and break). Use 期中 for the middle of the term; 年底 or 年终 refer to the end of the calendar year, not a school term.

noun

end of term

Examples

期末。
qī mò De shí hou wǒ men yào kǎo shì.
We have exams at the end of term.
期末。
Wǒ men qī mò yào jiāo bào gào.
We have to submit reports at the end of term.
期末。
qī mò Yǐ hòu jiù fàng hán jià le.
After the end of term, it's winter break.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

期 names the school term and 末 its final stretch, together giving the end of the term.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

其

其qí期qī

Same sound today

The original form paired 其 for its sound with 日 (sun). A related form changed that sun to 月, and this later developed into 期.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

末 adds a mark at the top of a tree-like shape to show its tip or end.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 4 School & Education

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