Result complement "-wan" for finishing

Of all the result complements in Chinese, this one is one of the most satisfying to use, since it implies "finishing" something. On it's own, 完 (wán) means "to finish" or "complete." Using it in this grammar structure, it expresses the idea of doing the verb until you are complete.

Structure

As well as with 到 and 见, you can also form result complements with 完. This indicates that an action is finished or completed. The structure is:

Subject + Verb + 完 + Object

Examples

• 我 说 完 了。I finished talking.
• 吃 完 了 吗？Are you done eating?
• 你 为什么 不 喝 完 这 杯 酒？Why are you not drinking up that glass of wine?
• 你 没有 吃 完 你 的 水果。You haven't finished eating all of your fruit.
• 我 昨天 晚上 看 完 了 那 本 书。I finished reading this book yesterday evening.
• 做 完 这 些 作业 需要 两 个 小时。You will need two hours to finish the homework.
• 看 完 以后 告诉 我。Tell me when you have finished watching.
• 我们 学 完 了 100 个词。We studied 100 characters.
• 你 什么时候 可以 用 完 电脑？When are you going to be done using the computer?
• 我 今天 要 做 完 这些 事。I want to finish that thing today.

See also

• Result complements "dao" and "jian"
• Result complement "-cuo"
• Result complement "-hao"

Sources and further reading

Books

• A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 273-84) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 97-9) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (p. 42) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (p. 86) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 152-3) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 87-8) →buy
• Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp. 186-7) →buy