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 its 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 tā le, tā bìjìng shì háizi.Stop telling at 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 dress more warmly.
• 他 不知道 也 很 正常，毕竟 他 不 是 本地 人。Tā bù zhīdào yě hěn zhèngcháng, bìjìng tā bù shì běndìrén.It's not strange that he doesn't know. After all, he's 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 bù néng zài kāi le, bìjìng tāmen dōu shì dà háizile.Some things shouldn't be joked about anymore. After all, they're not little kids anymore.
• 我们 不太 想 搬 ，毕竟 在 这儿 住 了 好几 年 了 。Wǒmen bù tài xiǎng bān, bìjìng zài zhèr zhù le hǎojǐ nián le.We don't really want to move. After all, we've lived here for so many years.

Fuller Form

Structure

虽然 ⋯⋯ ，但 + 毕竟 ⋯⋯ ，(as a result) ⋯⋯

In this structure, the parts after 虽然 (suīrán) 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 。Suīrán tā zuò cuòle, dàn bìjìng tā háishì xiǎo, nǐ jiù bié dǎ tā le.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。Suīrán wǒ chuān liǎo bù shǎo yīfú, dàn bìjìng shì běifāng de dōngtiān, suǒyǐ wǒ háishì juéde tǐng lěng de.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。Suīrán wǒ gēn tā rènshí, dàn bìjìng bù tài shú, háishì bùyào qù máfan rénjiāle.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。Suīrán wǒ xiǎoshíhòu nǎinai duì wǒ bù hǎo, dàn bìjìng tā shì wǒ nǎinai, suǒyǐ wǒ háishì huì zhàogù tā.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。Suīrán nǐmen yǐjīng líhūnle, dàn bìjìng hái yǒu yīgè háizi, gēn háizi zài yīqǐ de shíhòu bié chǎojià.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