Expressing "after all" with "bijing"

毕竟 (bìjìng) can be used to emphasize a reason or characteristic, and is like "after all" where you might say, "he is after all, only a child." 毕竟 is used both in spoken and written Chinese.

Basic Form

In it's most basic form, you just need to add the "after all" stuff after the 毕竟, and it could be a reason or a characteristic.

Structure

毕竟 ⋯⋯

Examples

• 别 骂 他 了 ，他 毕竟 是 孩子 。Bié mà tāle, tā bìjìng shì háizi.Stop scolding him. After all, he's only a kid.
• 毕竟 是 冬天 ，你 还是 多 穿 点 吧 。Bìjìng shì dōngtiān, nǐ háishì duō chuān diǎn ba.It's winter after all. You'd better wear more clothes.
• 他 不知道 也 很 正常，毕竟 他 不 是 本地 人。Tā bù zhīdào yě hěn zhèngcháng, bìjìng tā bùshì běndì rén.It is normal that he doesn't know. After all, he is not a local.
• 有的 玩笑 不能 再 开 了，毕竟 他们 都 是 大孩子 了 。Yǒu de wánxiào bùnéng zài kāile, bìjìng tāmen dōu shì dà háizile. Some jokes shouldn't be said again. After all, they are all grown up.
• 我们 不太 想 搬 ，毕竟 在 这儿 住 了 好几 年 了 。Wǒmen bù tài xiǎng bān, bìjìng zài zhè'er zhùle hǎojǐ niánle.We don't really want to move. After all, we've lived here for more than a few years.

Fuller Form

Structure

虽然 ⋯⋯ ，但 + 毕竟 ⋯⋯ ，(as a result) ⋯⋯

In this structure, the parts after 虽然 and 毕竟 are reasons or characteristics, and the part after (as a result) is a result or conclusion. It's a bit more complex, so pay attention to the different parts in the example sentences below.

Examples

• 虽然 他 做 错 了，但 毕竟 他 还是 小，你 就 别 打 他 了 。Although he did something wrong, he is, after all, so young. So don't hit him.
• 虽然 我 穿 了 不 少 衣服，但 毕竟 是 北方 的 冬天，所以 我 还是 觉得 挺 冷 的。Although I wear a lot of clothes , it is, after all, winter in the north. I still feel very cold.
• 虽然 我 跟 他 认识，但 毕竟 不 太 熟，还是 不要 去 麻烦 人家 了。Although I know him, after all we are not close. I'd better not trouble him.
• 虽然 我 小时候 奶奶 对 我 不 好，但 毕竟 她 是 我 奶奶，所以 我 还是 会 照顾 她。Although my grandma didn't treat me well, but after all, she is my grandma, so I still look after her.
• 虽然 你们 已经 离婚 了，但 毕竟 还有 一个 孩子 ，跟 孩子 在 一起 的 时候 别 吵架。Although you are divorced, there is, after all, a child. So don't start fighting when you're with the child.

Sources and further reading

Books

• Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇) (pp. 155) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 127-30) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 151-2) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) (pp. 92) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• HSK Standard Course 5上 (pp. 82) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK5