Synonyms of “Finally” in Chinese

There are 4 different words that can be translated into “finally” in Mandarin Chinese: 到底 dàodǐ, 最後最后 zuìhòu, 總总算 zǒngsuàn and 終於终于 zhōngyú.

到底 dàodǐ

到底 dàodǐ is an adverb in Chinese that is used to emphasize a question. It indicate that the speaker is a little impatient or annoyed.

你nǐ到底dàodǐ在zài做zuò什麼shénme? 你nǐ到底dàodǐ在zài做zuò什么shénme?
What on earth are you doing?

你nǐ到底dàodǐ要yào去qù還是háishì不bú去qù? 你nǐ到底dàodǐ要yào去qù还是háishì不bú去qù?
Are you going or not!?

最後/最后 zuìhòu

最後最后 zuìhòu is generally considered an adverb or an adjective in Chinese, not a noun. It can be used as an attributive to modify another noun, which is similar to the usage of “the last” in English.

最後zuìhòu一yí次cì最后zuìhòu一yí次cì 
The last time

最後zuìhòu一yì天tiān最后zuìhòu一yì天tiān
The last day

最後最后 zuìhòu is also considered the most neutral word among these four words. It can simply indicates that something happened last or in the end, without any connotation of whether it is positive or negative.

你nǐ先xiān加jiā蜂蜜fēngmì， 然後ránhòu加jiā水shuǐ， 攪一攪jiǎoyìjiǎo， 最後zuìhòu放fàng檸檬níngméng就jiù完成wánchéng了le！ 你nǐ先xiān加jiā蜂蜜fēngmì， 然后ránhòu加jiā水shuǐ， 搅一搅jiǎoyìjiǎo， 最后zuìhòu放fàng柠檬níngméng就jiù完成wánchéng了le！
You should add honey first, and then add some water, and mix it up. Last, you put a lemon slice. That’s it.

最後zuìhòu一個yíge人rén到dào了le最后zuìhòu一个yíge人rén到dào了le
The last person has arrived.

總算/总算 zǒngsuàn

總总算 zǒngsuàn is an adverb in Chinese that implies that after consistent efforts, certain wishes have finally come true. It can be translated as “finally” or “at long last” in English. 總总算 zǒngsuàn and 終於终于 zhōngyú are often interchangeable in usage, but 總总算 zǒngsuàn usually emphasizes the long duration of time involved in expecting something to happen.

我wǒ工作gōngzuò了le20 年nián， 總算zǒngsuàn可以kěyǐ買mǎi房子fángzi了le我wǒ工作gōngzuò了le20 年nián， 总算zǒngsuàn可以kěyǐ买mǎi房子fángzi了le
I have worked for 20 years, and finally, I can afford to buy a house!
Use 終於终于 zhōngyú is also OK!)

我wǒ當dāng中文zhōngwén老師lǎoshī的de夢想mèngxiǎng總算zǒngsuàn實現shíxiàn了le我wǒ当dāng中文zhōngwén老师lǎoshī的de夢想mèngxiǎng总算zǒngsuàn实现shíxiàn了le
I finally realized my dream of becoming a Mandarin teacher.
(Use 終於终于 zhōngyú is also OK!)

終於/终于 zhōngyú

終於终于 zhōngyú is also an adverb in Chinese, which implies that after many changes or amidst some eager waiting, something has finally happened. It usually implies the difficulties or ups and downs of the process. Unlike 總总算 zǒngsuàn, 終於终于 zhōngyú can be used to describe either desirable or undesirable outcomes.

40年nián的de婚姻hūnyīn， 我們wǒmen終於zhōngyú還是háishì離婚líhūn了le40 年nián的de婚姻hūnyīn， 我们wǒmen终于zhōngyú还是háishì离婚líhūn了le
40 years of marriage. In the end, we still got divorced.
(You cannot use 總总算 zǒngsuàn here.)

他tā終於zhōngyú來lái了le他tā终于zhōngyú来lái了le
He’s finally here!
(Use 總总算 zǒngsuàn is also OK!)