竟

jìng

儿 + 音

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

jìng (adverb) actually; unexpectedly; indeed

jìng (verb) to go so far as to

jìng (verb) to complete; to finish

Etymology

Depicts a tattoo tool (辛) marking a person's (人) head as punishment for a crime. Based on the original meaning "tattoo criminals on the face", now written as 黥. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

The character 竟 combines the component 音 (sound/music) in its upper part with 儿 (person/legs) below. Its original meaning referred to the conclusion of a musical performance, linking the sound component to the idea of a song ending. Over time, this sense broadened to mean the general end or completion of any action, event, or space. In modern usage, while it can still denote a boundary or finish, 竟 is primarily used as an adverb to convey that something happened unexpectedly or contrary to expectation, moving away from its musical origins.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

小男孩竟哭了。

Xiǎo nánhái jìng kū le.

The little boy cried unexpectedly.

你竟不知道这个故事？

Nǐ jìng bù zhīdào zhège gùshì?

You don't know this story?

我竟在这里遇到你。

Wǒ jìng zài zhèlǐ yù dào nǐ.

I actually met you here.

他们竟完成了所有任务。

Tāmen jìng wánchéng le suǒyǒu rènwù.

They unexpectedly completed all the tasks.

这场雨竟下了整整一天。

Zhè chǎng yǔ jìng xià le zhěngzhěng yī tiān.

This rain actually lasted for a whole day.

他竟敢在会议上反驳老板。

Tā jìng gǎn zài huìyì shàng fǎnbó lǎobǎn.

He actually dared to contradict the boss in the meeting.

我们竟在这么短的时间内取得了成功。

Wǒmen jìng zài zhème duǎn de shíjiān nèi qǔdé le chénggōng.

We actually achieved success in such a short period of time.

尽管条件艰苦，他们竟坚持到了最后。

Jǐnguǎn tiáojiàn jiānkǔ, tāmen jìng jiānchí dào le zuìhòu.

Despite the difficult conditions, they unexpectedly persevered to the end.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 儿

Component: 音

竟