TongTong
Sign in

结束 (jié shù) — to end, to finish, to conclude

Definition

结束 (jiéshù) means 'to end / to conclude' — used for events, activities, or work that wraps up. More formal than 完, and more general than 截止 (which requires a deadline).

verb
to endto finishto conclude

Examples

  • 结束，。
    Diàn yǐng jié shù le, wǒ men huí jiā ba.
    The movie has ended, let's go home.
  • 结束，。
    Gōng zuò jié shù yǐ hòu, wǒ qù chāo shì mǎi dōng xī.
    After work ends, I go to the supermarket to buy things.
  • 结束。
    Wǒ men jié shù jīn tiān de kè ba.
    Let's end today's class.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

结jiétie
束shùbind

结 as tie and 束 as bind together make finish.

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.

Open 结 →

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

The shape of 束 comes from a drawing of a bag tied at both ends.

Open 束 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 31000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsChange & Process2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 3 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.