Synonyms of “Finally” in Chinese

Posted on by tiffany

到底 · 最後 · 總算 · 終於 — 近義詞辨析
Similar words

到底 dàodǐ · 最后 zuìhòu · 总算 zǒngsuàn · 终于 zhōngyú

Four ways to say “finally” in Mandarin — and the very different tones each one carries.

There are four different words that can be translated as “finally” in Mandarin: 到底 dàodǐ, 最后 zuìhòu, 总算 zǒngsuàn, and 终于 zhōngyú. Each one carries its own connotation, from impatience to relief.

一

到底 dàodǐ

Adverb · Impatient Question

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

Subject + 到底dàodǐ + Question
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还是háishì不bú去qù?
Are you going or not!?
你nǐ到底dàodǐ喜xǐ不bù喜欢xǐhuan我wǒ？
Do you like me or not?!
这件zhè jiàn事shì到底dàodǐ是shì谁shéi做zuò的de？
Who on earth did this?
二

最后 zuìhòu

Adverb / Adjective · Neutral, “The Last”

最后 zuìhòu is generally an adverb or adjective, not a noun. It can act as an attributive to modify another noun, similar to “the last” in English. It’s also the most neutral of these four words — it simply indicates that something happened last or in the end, with no positive or negative connotation.

Subject + 最后zuìhòu + Verb Phrase / 最后zuìhòu + Noun
最后zuìhòu一次yí cì
The last time
最后zuìhòu一天yì tiān
The last day
你nǐ先xiān加jiā蜂蜜fēngmì，然后ránhòu加jiā水shuǐ，搅一搅jiǎo yì jiǎo，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.
最后zuìhòu一个yí ge人rén到dào了le。
The last person has arrived.
三

总算 zǒngsuàn

Adverb · At Long Last (Positive)

总算 zǒngsuàn is an adverb implying that after consistent effort, a wish has finally come true. It’s translated as “finally” or “at long last.” 总算 zǒngsuàn and 终于 zhōngyú are often interchangeable, but 总算 zǒngsuàn usually emphasizes the long duration of time spent hoping for something.

Subject + 总算zǒngsuàn + Verb Phrase
我wǒ工作gōngzuò了le20èrshí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!
我wǒ当dāng中文zhōngwén老师lǎoshī的de梦想mèngxiǎng总算zǒngsuàn实现shíxiàn了le。
I finally realized my dream of becoming a Mandarin teacher.
等děng了le三个sān ge小时xiǎoshí，公车gōngchē总算zǒngsuàn来lái了le。
After waiting three hours, the bus finally came.
这场zhè chǎng病bìng总算zǒngsuàn好hǎo了le。
This illness has finally gotten better.
四

终于 zhōngyú

Adverb · After Ups and Downs

终于 zhōngyú is also an adverb, implying that after many changes or some eager waiting, something has finally happened. It usually implies the difficulties or ups and downs of the process. Unlike 总算 zǒngsuàn, 终于 zhōngyú can describe either desirable or undesirable outcomes.

Subject + 终于zhōngyú + Verb Phrase
40sìshí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.
In practice, Taiwan speakers tend to reserve 终于 zhōngyú for an outcome reached after real effort and genuine hope of achieving it — closer to 总算 zǒngsuàn. For a sentence like this one, many Taiwan speakers would actually say 最后 zuìhòu instead, since it carries no emotional connotation. 总算 zǒngsuàn leans more spoken/colloquial, while 终于 zhōngyú works in both written and spoken Mandarin.
他tā终于zhōngyú来lái了le！
He’s finally here!
经过jīngguò多年duō nián努力nǔlì，他tā终于zhōngyú成功chénggōng了le。
After years of effort, he finally succeeded.
天气tiānqì终于zhōngyú变biàn好hǎo了le。
The weather has finally gotten better.
05  ·  Watch Out

Common Pitfalls

总算 zǒngsuàn — doesn’t fit an undesirable outcome
✕40sìshí年nián的de婚姻hūnyīn，我们wǒmen总算zǒngsuàn还是háishì离婚líhūn了le
✓40sìshí年nián的de婚姻hūnyīn，我们wǒmen终于zhōngyú还是háishì离婚líhūn了le

总算 zǒngsuàn always implies something positive that was hoped for. It can’t describe an undesirable outcome like a divorce — use 终于 zhōngyú instead, which works for both good and bad outcomes.

到底 dàodǐ — only works in impatient questions, not statements
✕我wǒ到底dàodǐ完成wánchéng了le作业zuòyè
✓我wǒ终于zhōngyú完成wánchéng了le作业zuòyè

到底 dàodǐ only works in questions expressing impatience or urgency (“what on earth…?”). For a plain statement like “I finally finished,” use 终于 zhōngyú or 总算 zǒngsuàn instead.

06  ·  At a Glance

Quick Comparison

WordPart of SpeechCore MeaningTone
到底dàodǐ Adverb (in questions) “on earth,” presses an impatient question Impatient, urgent
最后zuìhòu Adverb / Adjective “the last,” simple sequencing Neutral
总算zǒngsuàn Adverb “finally, at long last,” after sustained effort Positive, relieved
终于zhōngyú Adverb “finally,” after ups and downs Neutral — can be positive or negative
07  ·  Practice

Practice Quiz

PRACTICE QUIZ Question 1 of 10
What on earth do you want from me?
你nǐ    想要xiǎngyào我wǒ怎么样zěnmeyàng？
This is the last chance, don’t waste it.
这zhè是shì    的de机会jīhuì，不要búyào浪费làngfèi了le。
After saving for five years, I finally bought a car.
存cún了le五年wǔ nián钱qián，我wǒ    买mǎi了le一辆yí liàng车chē。
After a long illness, he finally passed away.
生病shēngbìng了le很久hěn jiǔ，他tā    过世guòshì了le。
Are you coming to the party or not? Just tell me!
你nǐ    要yào不要búyào来lái派对pàiduì？快kuài告诉gàosù我wǒ！
Please turn off the lights when you leave, as the last person.
请qǐng    离开líkāi的de人rén记得jìde关灯guān dēng。
After many interviews, she finally got the job she wanted.
面试miànshì了le好多次hǎoduō cì，她tā    找到zhǎodào了le理想lǐxiǎng的de工作gōngzuò。
After the argument, they finally made up.
吵架chǎojià之后zhīhòu，他们tāmen    和好héhǎo了le。
What exactly happened here?
这里zhèlǐ    发生fāshēng了le什么shénme事shì？
After years of hard training, the team finally won the championship.
经过jīngguò多年duō nián的de辛苦xīnkǔ训练xùnliàn，这支zhè zhī队伍duìwǔ    赢得yíngdé了le冠军guànjūn。
Complete
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