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告终 (gào zhōng) — to end (up), to conclude (often with a negative outcome)

Definition

告终 (gàozhōng) is a formal, written verb meaning 'to end up / to conclude,' typically used to mark the final outcome of a long process — often in phrases like 以…告终. It is more formal and literary than everyday 结束.

verb
to end (up)to conclude (often with a negative outcome)

Examples

  • 告终。
    Tā de jì huà yǐ shī bài gào zhōng.
    His plan ended in failure.
  • 告终。
    Zhè chǎng zhēng lùn yǐ hé jiě gào zhōng.
    The argument ended with a reconciliation.
  • 告终。
    Duō nián de hé zuò yǐ pò liè gào zhōng.
    Years of cooperation ended in a breakdown.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

告gàoannounce
终zhōngend

告 “announce” and 终 “end” combine to mean “to announce the end,” hence “conclude.”

Characters in this word

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

The origin is unclear: one theory sees 告 as 壴 (a decorated drum) above 口 (an open mouth), while another sees a tongue sticking out of 口.

Open 告 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 終; 终 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
冬
冬dōng終zhōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 終 pairs 糸 (a cord) with 冬 as a sound part; the simplified 终 is a later shorthand. An older form showed a knot at the end of a cord.

Open 终 →
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