结局
jiéjú
The English phrase 'ending' is translated into Chinese as 结局 (jiéjú).
结局 is most commonly used to refer to the outcome or conclusion of a story, a movie, a play or a specific sequence of events.
Meaning: last part of something (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 结局 is composed of 结 (jié), meaning to tie or knot/conclude and 局 (jú), meaning a situation or game/arrangement.
Which one should you use?
While 结局 refers to the narrative outcome or resolution of a story, the related term 结尾 is used more physically or structurally to refer to the very end or the final part of a text, speech or song.
How do you pronounce it?
jiéjú
Did you know?
- In Chinese, a satisfying 结局 is often described as 圆满 (yuánmǎn), which literally means 'round and full'. This reflects a cultural preference for harmony and completeness over the Western concept of a 'happy ending'.
- The word 局 in 结局 also means a 'bureau' or 'government office', such as in 警察局 (police station). This connects the narrative conclusion of a story to the idea of a formal organization or set structure.
- In traditional Chinese opera, the 结局 of a play often follows strict moral codes where the 'ending' must restore social order, regardless of whether the characters are happy.
Examples in context
- 他们剧透了结局。They gave away the ending.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 结局 when discussing spoilers.Tatoeba #4815191 by McMeao, translation #4807113 by raggione
- 这个故事有一个悲惨的结局。This story has a sad ending.This sentence is useful for describing the nature of a story's 结局.Tatoeba #6559087 by ren, translation #6558751 by Hybrid
- 好结局Happy ending
- 我不敢看那个电影的结局。Wǒ bù gǎn kàn nà ge diànyǐng de jiéjú.I don't dare to watch the ending of that movie.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a novel they just finished.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你觉得这本小说的结局怎么样？Nǐ juéde zhè běn xiǎoshuō de jiéjú zěnmeyàng?What do you think about the ending of this novel?
- 伟 Wei我觉得最后的结局太让人意外了。Wǒ juéde zuìhòu de jiéjú tài ràng rén yìwài le.I think the ending was so unexpected.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我也这么觉得，真的很有趣。Wǒ yě zhème juéde, zhēnde hěn yǒuqù.I think so too, it was really interesting.
- 伟 Wei没错，它是今年最好的故事。Méi cuò, tā shì jīnnián zuì hǎo de gùshì.Exactly, it is the best story of this year.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
