Lessons 1, 6, 9: Final results, outcomes as predicted, and unexpected outcomes

Adverbs about results: finally achieving something, turning out as predicted, having no choice but to, unexpectedly, and after all/on earth.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 1 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 6 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 9

经过努力，他终于考上了大学。

Jīngguò nǔlì, tā zhōngyú kǎoshàng le dàxué.

After working hard, he finally got into university.

Explanation

终于

expresses a final result achieved after a long period of effort or waiting; the result is mostly something desired. 果然: shows that something turns out as expected or as someone said; it is usually placed before a verb, a predicate adjective, or the subject. 只好: shows that in a certain situation there is no other choice and one can only do this.

不料 (没想到) is placed at the start of the second clause and signals a twist. 竟然 (sometimes just 竟) means unexpected, not anticipated: 竟然 + verb or 竟然 + adjective.

到底 has two uses. In questions: placed before a verb, an adjective or the subject, it implies pressing for more information in order to reach a final result or conclusion. In statements: after a relatively long process there is finally a result, with a sense of good luck; it must be used with 了 or a word expressing completion.

Comparing 到底 and 终于: 终于 is often used in writing, while 到底 is used in both writing and speech. Before a verb or verb phrase, 到底 must be used with 了, while 终于 may or may not have 了. 到底 can be used in questions; 终于 cannot.

Structure

1
终于V / kết quả
After much effort or waiting, a result (usually a desired one) appears.
- 我很早就希望能有机会来中国学习汉语，现在这个愿望终于实现了，心里有说不出的高兴。
  Wǒ hěn zǎo jiù xīwàng néng yǒu jīhuì lái Zhōngguó xuéxí Hànyǔ, xiànzài zhège yuànwàng zhōngyú shíxiàn le, xīnli yǒu shuō bu chū de gāoxìng.
  I had long hoped for a chance to go to China to study Chinese, and now this wish has finally come true; I'm indescribably happy.
- 经过努力，他终于考上了大学。
  Jīngguò nǔlì, tā zhōngyú kǎoshàng le dàxué.
  After working hard, he finally got into university.
- 我很早就想看看长城，今天我终于看到了。
  Wǒ hěn zǎo jiù xiǎng kànkan Chángchéng, jīntiān wǒ zhōngyú kàndào le.
  I had wanted to see the Great Wall for a long time, and today I finally saw it.
- 她当翻译的愿望终于实现了。
  Tā dāng fānyì de yuànwàng zhōngyú shíxiàn le.
  Her wish to become an interpreter has finally come true.
2
果然V / Adj (hoặc trước chủ ngữ)
Things turn out as predicted or as someone said.
- 天气预报说今天有雨，你看，果然下起来了。
  Tiānqì yùbào shuō jīntiān yǒu yǔ, nǐ kàn, guǒrán xià qǐlái le.
  The weather forecast said it would rain today, and sure enough, it's raining, see?
- 听朋友说那个饭店的菜又好吃又便宜，我去吃了一次，果然不错。
  Tīng péngyou shuō nàge fàndiàn de cài yòu hǎochī yòu piányi, wǒ qù chī le yí cì, guǒrán búcuò.
  I heard from a friend that the dishes at that restaurant are both delicious and cheap; I went to eat there once, and sure enough, it was not bad.
- 我把出国留学的事告诉了父母，他们听了，果然不大愿意。
  Wǒ bǎ chūguó liúxué de shì gàosu le fùmǔ, tāmen tīng le, guǒrán bú dà yuànyì.
  I talked to my parents about studying abroad, and sure enough, after hearing me out, they were not very happy about it.
- 大夫说吃了这种药，我的病就会好的，吃了药以后，病果然一天比一天好了。
  Dàifu shuō chī le zhè zhǒng yào, wǒ de bìng jiù huì hǎo de, chī le yào yǐhòu, bìng guǒrán yì tiān bǐ yì tiān hǎo le.
  The doctor said that I'd get better if I took this medicine, and sure enough, my illness got better day by day after I took it.
3
只好Vverb
In that situation there was no other choice, and one could only do it this way.
- 昨天晚上我回来时已经没有公共汽车了，只好坐出租车。
  Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ huílái shí yǐjīng méiyǒu gōnggòng qìchē le, zhǐhǎo zuò chūzūchē.
  When I got back last night there were no buses left, so I had no choice but to take a taxi.
- 真倒霉！刚买的词典就丢了，只好再买一本。
  Zhēn dǎoméi! Gāng mǎi de cídiǎn jiù diū le, zhǐhǎo zài mǎi yì běn.
  What bad luck! The dictionary I had just bought was lost, so I had to buy another one.
- 父母觉得我的想法是对的，就只好同意我去留学了。
  Fùmǔ juéde wǒ de xiǎngfǎ shì duì de, jiù zhǐhǎo tóngyì wǒ qù liúxué le.
  My parents saw that my thinking was right, so they had no choice but to agree to let me study abroad.
- 半路上忽然下起了雨，我没带雨伞，只好淋着雨往回跑。
  Bànlù shang hūrán xià qǐ le yǔ, wǒ méi dài yǔsǎn, zhǐhǎo lín zhe yǔ wǎng huí pǎo.
  It suddenly started to rain on the way, and I didn't have an umbrella, so I had to run home in the rain.
4
…不料…/ 竟然V (Adj)
不料 opens the second clause to introduce a twist (没想到); 竟然 expresses something unexpected and goes before a verb or adjective.
- 他原来说有事不能来参加晚会了，不料今天他早早地就来了。
  Tā yuánlái shuō yǒu shì bù néng lái cānjiā wǎnhuì le, búliào jīntiān tā zǎozǎo de jiù lái le.
  He had said he was too busy to come to the party, but unexpectedly he arrived very early today.
- 已经是春天了，不料竟下起雪来了。
  Yǐjīng shì chūntiān le, búliào jìng xià qǐ xuě lái le.
  It was already spring, but unexpectedly it snowed.
- 我想她不愿意跟我一起去，不料她说很高兴和我一起去。
  Wǒ xiǎng tā bú yuànyì gēn wǒ yìqǐ qù, búliào tā shuō hěn gāoxìng hé wǒ yìqǐ qù.
  I thought she didn't want to go with me, but to my surprise she said she would be very happy to go with me.
- 他工作太忙了，竟然把妻子的生日都忘了。
  Tā gōngzuò tài máng le, jìngrán bǎ qīzi de shēngrì dōu wàng le.
  He was so busy that he actually forgot his wife's birthday.
- 没想到，昨天竟然在地铁里遇到了中学的同学。
  Méi xiǎngdào, zuótiān jìngrán zài dìtiě li yùdào le zhōngxué de tóngxué.
  I unexpectedly ran into a middle-school classmate on the subway yesterday.
- 没想到这次考试题竟然这么简单。
  Méi xiǎngdào zhè cì kǎoshì tí jìngrán zhème jiǎndān.
  I didn't expect this exam to be so easy.
- 这种树还能开花，而且开的花竟然这么漂亮。
  Zhè zhǒng shù hái néng kāihuā, érqiě kāi de huā jìngrán zhème piàoliang.
  This kind of plant can even flower, and the flowers are so beautiful.
5
到底câu hỏi / 到底Vverb了
In a question, it presses for the final conclusion; in a statement, it means a result is finally achieved (with a sense of good luck, and requires 了).
- 明天你到底来不来？
  Míngtiān nǐ dàodǐ lái bu lái?
  Are you coming tomorrow or not, after all?
- 他到底是哪国人？
  Tā dàodǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
  What country is he from, exactly?
- 那儿的风景到底好不好？
  Nàr de fēngjǐng dàodǐ hǎo bu hǎo?
  Is the scenery there really beautiful?
- 昨天你还说和我们一起去，今天你又说不去了，你到底去不去？
  Zuótiān nǐ hái shuō hé wǒmen yìqǐ qù, jīntiān nǐ yòu shuō bú qù le, nǐ dàodǐ qù bu qù?
  Yesterday you said you'd go with us, and today you say you're not going; are you going or not, really?
- 我等了一个小时，他到底来了。
  Wǒ děng le yí ge xiǎoshí, tā dàodǐ lái le.
  I waited for an hour, and finally he came.
- 一个月后，她到底找到了那个人。
  Yí ge yuè hòu, tā dàodǐ zhǎodào le nàge rén.
  A month later, she finally found that person.
- 问题终于解决了。
  Wèntí zhōngyú jiějué le.
  The last problem was finally solved.

Usage notes

到底 can be used in questions, but 终于 cannot: you can't say 她终于来不来; you must say 她到底来不来.
Before a verb, 到底 in a statement must be used with 了; 终于 may or may not have 了 (问题终于解决(了)).
终于 is often used in writing; 到底 is used in both writing and speech.

Common mistakes

~~我终于快到中国了。~~
我终于来到了中国。
终于 refers to a result that has already happened and is not used with "快……了".
~~老师不料没来。~~
不料老师没来。
不料 goes at the start of the second clause, before the subject.
~~她终于来不来？~~
她到底来不来？
终于 is not used in questions.
~~每次舞会她都不参加，没想到今天竟然她参加。~~
每次舞会她都不参加，没想到今天她竟然来了。
竟然 goes after the subject, before the verb.

Practice

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