Expressing "after all" with "bijing"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
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.
Contents
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 + reason / characteristic
Examples
- 他 毕竟 是 孩子，你 就 别 打 他 了。After all, wolves are wild. When you're feeding them, you have to be very careful.
- 毕竟 是 冬天，你 还是 多 穿 点 吧。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。It is normal that he doesn't know. After all, he is not the local people.
- 有的 玩笑 不能 再 开 了，毕竟 他们 都 是 大孩子 了。 Some jokes couldn't be said again. After all, they are all grown up.
- 对 我们 来说，搬家 是 个 很难 的 决定，毕竟 我们 已经 在 这儿 生活 了 好几 年。For us, moving is a difficult decision, after all, we've lived here for a few years.
Complex 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's, 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, but we are not close after all. So 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, but there is, after all, a child. So don't start fighting when you're with the child.
