Expressing "finally" with "zhongyu"

终于 (zhōngyú) expresses that something has finally happened after a long wait. Usually the speaker is looking forward to what is happening at long last, and thus, 终于 (zhōngyú) typically carries a sense of joy or relief.

Structure

Unlike the English word "finally," 终于 (zhōngyú) can never be used alone. It also can’t be put in front of the subject or at the end of the sentence. 终于 (zhōngyú) needs to be used with 了 to express that the action is completed.

Subj. + 终于 + Predicate + 了

The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.

Examples

• 你 终于 到 了 ！Nǐ zhōngyú dào le!You've finally arrived!
• 我们 终于 见面 了 ！Wǒmen zhōngyú jiànmiàn le!We're finally meeting each other!
• 你们 终于 明白 了 。Nǐmen zhōngyú míngbai le.You've finally understood.
• 作业 终于 做 完 了 ！Zuòyè zhōngyú zuò wán le!I've finally finished my homework!
• 飞机 终于 起飞 了 ！Fēijī zhōngyú qǐfēi le!The plane is finally taking off!
• 你们 终于 决定 了 。Nǐmen zhōngyú juédìng le.You've finally decided.
• 饭 终于 做 好 了 。我 快 饿 死 了 。Fàn zhōngyú zuò hǎo le. Wǒ kuài è sǐ le.Dinner is finally ready. I'm starving.
• 这个 愿望 终于 实现 了 ！Zhège yuànwàng zhōngyú shíxiàn le!This dream has finally come true!
• 我们 找 了 两 个 多 小时 ，终于 找到 了 那 家 店 。Wǒmen zhǎo le liǎng gè duō xiǎoshí, zhōngyú zhǎodào le nà jiā diàn.We'd been looking for more than two hours, and we finally found that shop.
• 这些 问题 终于 解决 了 。我们 应该 庆祝 一下 。Zhèxiē wèntí zhōngyú jiějué le. Wǒmen yīnggāi qìngzhù yīxià.The problems are finally solved. We should celebrate!

See also

• Comparing "zongsuan" and “zhongyu"

Sources and further reading

Books

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