Expressing "in the end" with "jiujing"

When someone asks you "what on earth are you doing?," "究竟 (jiūjìng)" is used by the speaker to intensify the question. In this case, 究竟 is similar to 到底, but a bit more formal.

Using 究竟 in Questions

Using 究竟 in Targeted Questions

These questions are aimed at finding out a specific piece of info, such as a name or time.

Structure

究竟 + Question Word

Examples

• 这 个 人 究竟 是 谁？Zhège rén jiūjìng shì shéi?Who on earth is this guy?
• 你 究竟 是 做 什么 的？Nǐ jiūjìng shì zuò shénme de?What exactly is it that you do?
• 他们 究竟 什么 时候 到？Tāmen jiūjìng shénme shíhou dào?When exactly are they arriving?
• 我们 究竟 还 要 等 多久？Wǒmen jiūjìng hái yào děng duōjiǔ?How much longer do we still need to wait?
• 你们 究竟 想 让 我 怎么 做？Nǐmen jiūjìng xiǎng ràng wǒ zěnme zuò?What on earth do you want me to do?

Using 究竟 in Yes/No Questions

Structure

究竟 ＋ Verb ＋ 没 / 不 ＋ Verb

Examples

• 你 究竟 来 不 来？Nǐ jiūjìng lái bu lái?Are you coming or not?
• 你们 究竟 能 不 能 帮 我？Nǐmen jiūjìng néng bu néng bāng wǒ?Can you guys help me or not?
• 她 究竟 是 不 是 你 女朋友？Tā jiūjìng shì bu shì nǐ nǚpéngyou?So, is she your girlfriend or not?
• 你 究竟 喜 不 喜欢 我？Nǐ jiūjìng xǐ bu xǐhuan wǒ?So, do you like me or not?
• 经理 究竟 同 不 同意？Jīnglǐ jiūjìng tóng bu tóngyì?Did the manager agree or not?

Using 究竟 in Affirmative Sentences

究竟 can also be used with 是 for an emphasis of a fact, which is similar to 毕竟, meaning "after all."

Structure

Fact ＋ 究竟 + 是 ＋ Fact，……

Examples

• 孩子 究竟 是 孩子，总是 想 着 怎么 玩。Háizi jiūjìng shì háizi, zǒng shì xiǎng zhe zěnme wán.Kids are kids after all, always thinking about how to have fun.
• 上海 究竟 是 上海，生活 成本 就是 高。Shànghǎi jiūjìng shì Shànghǎi, shēnghuó chéngběn jiùshì gāo.Shanghai is Shanghai after all. The living expenses here are just high.
• 年轻 人 究竟 是 年轻 人，精力 真 好。Niánqīng rén jiūjìng shì niánqīng rén, jīnglì zhēn hǎo.Young people are young, after all. They are so full of energy.
• 生意人 究竟 是 生意人，对 他们 来说，赚钱 是 最 重要 的 。Shēngyìrén jiūjìng shì shēngyìrén, duì tāmen lái shuō, zhuànqián shì zuì zhòngyào de.Businessmen are businessmen, after all. The most important thing to them is making money.
• 家人 究竟 是 家人，也许 你 不 喜欢 他们，但 你 还是 会 爱 他们。Jiārén jiūjìng shì jiārén, yěxǔ nǐ bù xǐhuan tāmen, dàn nǐ háishì huì ài tāmen.Family is family, after all. You may not like them, but you still love them.

See Also

• Expressing "After All" with "bijing"
• Expressing "In the End" with "daodi"

Sources and further reading

• How to Use the Adverb 究竟? (Transparent Language Chinese Blog)

Books

• HSK Standard Course 4下 (pp. 132) 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. 130-3) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 19-20) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

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