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竟 (jìng) — unexpectedly, actually (expressing surprise that something happened or is the case)

Definition

竟 is a formal/written adverb meaning 'unexpectedly; actually,' expressing surprise that something happened. Stronger and more literary than 竟然 and 居然, which are the everyday spoken equivalents.

adverb
unexpectedlyactually (expressing surprise that something happened or is the case)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 竟，。
    Jīn tiān tā jìng méi yǒu lái shàng kè, zhēn qí guài.
    He didn't come to class today, which is really strange.
  • ，竟！
    Zhè me nán de kǎo shì, tā jìng kǎo le dì yī míng!
    She actually got first place in such a difficult exam!
  • 。
    Tā jìng gǎn zài huì yì shàng tí chū fǎn duì yì jiàn.
    He actually dared to raise an objection at the meeting.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The origin is uncertain, but one old reading sees 竟 as 音 (sound) with 儿 (a person), meaning a person has spoken.

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-95000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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