结局 (jié jú) — ending, conclusion | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

结局 is the 'ending' of a story, film, or drama — the final outcome of a narrative. Compare 结尾 (the closing part/section) and 结果 (general result/outcome).

noun

endingconclusion

Examples

结局。
Zhè ge gù shi de jié jú ràng rén yì xiǎng bú dào.
The ending of this story is unexpected.
结局？
Diàn yǐng de jié jú shì shén me?
What is the ending of the movie?
结局。
Shuí yě méi xiǎng dào bǐ sài huì yǒu zhè yàng de jié jú.
No one expected the game to have such an ending.

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.

局júsituation

结 (end) and 局 (situation) together mean the final outcome.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 結; 结 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

吉

吉jí結jié

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 結 pairs 糸 with 吉; 吉 gives the sound, and 糸 relates to the meaning. The simplified 结 is a later shorthand.

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

句

句jù局jú

Same sound today

The shape of 局 pairs 尸, a meaning part, with 句, a sound part.

Appears in

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