Keywords: jieju, jié jú, 结局, Chinese word for ending, what is the ending in Chinese, conclusion in Chinese, final result, story ending, movie ending, 结局 meaning, how to use 结局, 结果 vs 结局
Summary: Learn the Chinese word for ending, 结局 (jiéjú). This essential HSK 4 noun refers to the conclusion or final result of a story, movie, event, or even a relationship. This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural significance (like the famous “happy reunion ending”), and practical use in modern China. Discover how 结局 (jiéjú) differs from a simple “result” and master its use with over 10 example sentences.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): jiéjú
Part of Speech: Noun
HSK Level: HSK 4
Concise Definition: The ending, conclusion, or final outcome of a developing situation, especially a story.
In a Nutshell:结局 (jiéjú) is the word you reach for when you're talking about how something “ends.” Think of it as the final chapter of a book, the last scene of a movie, or the ultimate outcome of a long-term relationship or conflict. It carries a sense of narrative finality—the point where the story is over and the fate of the characters or the situation is revealed.
Character Breakdown
结 (jié): This character's original meaning is “to tie a knot.” By extension, it means to bind, connect, or to conclude. Think of “tying up” loose ends at the end of a story.
局 (jú): This character can mean a situation, an office/bureau, or a game (like a game of chess). In this context, it refers to the overall “situation” or the final “state of the board.”
Together, 结局 (jiéjú) literally translates to “the concluding situation” or “tying up the game.” It paints a vivid picture of bringing all the moving parts of a situation to their final, settled state.
Cultural Context and Significance
In Chinese storytelling, from classical literature to modern TV dramas, there is a strong cultural preference for a 大团圆结局 (dàtuányuán jiéjú), or a “Great Reunion Ending.” This is more specific than a simple Western “happy ending.” A 大团圆结局 typically involves:
The family being reunited and safe.
The virtuous and heroic characters being rewarded.
The villains receiving their just punishment.
Social harmony being restored.
This reflects traditional Confucian values emphasizing family, social order, and clear moral outcomes. While Western stories certainly have happy endings, they also have a strong tradition of tragic heroes, ambiguous endings, or endings that prioritize individual self-fulfillment over group harmony. For Chinese audiences, the emotional satisfaction of seeing the family unit whole and the community in balance is often the most desired 结局. Modern stories, of course, play with this expectation, sometimes delivering a deliberately sad or open-ended 结局 for artistic effect.
Practical Usage in Modern China
结局 is a very common word in everyday conversation, especially when discussing media or personal life.
Discussing Books, TV, and Movies: This is the most common usage. People constantly ask about or comment on the 结局 of a popular drama or film.
`“这部电影的结局是什么？”` (What's the ending of this movie?)
`“我喜欢圆满的结局。”` (I like happy endings.)
Describing Real-Life Outcomes: It can be used to describe the final outcome of personal situations, like relationships or long-term conflicts. It implies a narrative quality to the event.
`“他们的爱情故事有了一个悲伤的结局。”` (Their love story had a sad ending.)
Connotation: The word 结局 itself is neutral. Its emotional flavor comes from the adjectives used with it, such as 圆满的 (yuánmǎn de) - perfect/happy, 悲惨的 (bēicǎn de) - tragic, or 出人意料的 (chūrényìliào de) - unexpected.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
你看了那部新电影吗？结局怎么样？
Pinyin: Nǐ kàn le nà bù xīn diànyǐng ma? Jiéjú zěnmeyàng?
English: Did you see that new movie? How was the ending?
Analysis: A classic, everyday question. This is one of the most common ways you'll hear 结局 used.
Example 2:
我希望这个故事有一个圆满的结局。
Pinyin: Wǒ xīwàng zhège gùshi yǒu yí ge yuánmǎn de jiéjú.
English: I hope this story has a perfect (happy) ending.
Analysis: 圆满 (yuánmǎn) is a key adjective to pair with 结局, meaning complete, perfect, and satisfactory. It's the quintessential “happy ending.”
English: A lot of people don't like this ending; they feel it's too sad.
Analysis: This shows how to express an opinion about an ending. 悲伤 (bēishāng) means “sad” or “sorrowful.”
Example 4:
这本小说的结局是开放式的，留给读者很多想象空间。
Pinyin: Zhè běn xiǎoshuō de jiéjú shì kāifàngshì de, liú gěi dúzhě hěn duō xiǎngxiàng kōngjiān.
English: The ending of this novel is open-ended, leaving a lot of room for the reader's imagination.
Analysis: 开放式 (kāifàngshì) means “open-style.” An 开放式结局 is an “open ending.”
Example 5:
不管结局如何，我们都努力过了。
Pinyin: Bùguǎn jiéjú rúhé, wǒmen dōu nǔlì guò le.
English: No matter what the final outcome is, we have tried our best.
Analysis: This sentence uses 结局 to refer to the final result of a real-life endeavor, like a competition or a project. It has a slightly formal and philosophical tone.
Example 6:
他们多年的争吵，最终有了一个谁也没想到的结局。
Pinyin: Tāmen duō nián de zhēngchǎo, zuìzhōng yǒu le yí ge shéi yě méi xiǎngdào de jiéjú.
English: Their years of arguing ultimately had an ending that nobody expected.
Analysis: This applies 结局 to a long-term personal conflict, treating it like a story that has now concluded.
English: I can guess the ending, the male and female leads will definitely get together in the end.
Analysis: A common phrase when watching predictable dramas. 猜到 (cāidào) means “to guess correctly.”
Example 8:
这是一个关于背叛和复仇的故事，结局非常黑暗。
Pinyin: Zhè shì yí ge guānyú bèipàn hé fùchóu de gùshi, jiéjú fēicháng hēi'àn.
English: This is a story about betrayal and revenge; the ending is very dark.
Analysis: Shows how adjectives like 黑暗 (hēi'àn) - dark, can be used to describe the tone of the 结局.
Example 9:
改变一个角色的命运就可以完全改变整个故事的结局。
Pinyin: Gǎibiàn yí ge juésè de mìngyùn jiù kěyǐ wánquán gǎibiàn zhěngge gùshi de jiéjú.
English: Changing one character's fate can completely change the ending of the entire story.
Analysis: This sentence discusses storytelling mechanics, showing the abstract use of 结局.
Example 10:
人生的结局无法预测，我们能做的就是过好每一天。
Pinyin: Rénshēng de jiéjú wúfǎ yùcè, wǒmen néng zuò de jiùshì guò hǎo měi yī tiān.
English: The ending of life is unpredictable; what we can do is live every day well.
Analysis: A philosophical use of 结局, applying the concept to life itself. It frames life as a single, long story.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 结局 (jiéjú) and 结果 (jiéguǒ).
结局 (jiéjú): Ending / Narrative Conclusion. Use this for the end of a story, a movie, a relationship, or a long, developing situation. It focuses on the final state of a narrative.
Correct: 这个故事的结局很感人。(The ending of this story is very touching.)
Incorrect: 这次考试的结局是九十分。(The ending of this test was 90 points.)
结果 (jiéguǒ): Result / Outcome. Use this for the direct consequence of an action, calculation, experiment, or test. It is more factual and less narrative.
Correct: 这次考试的结果是九十分。(The result of this test was 90 points.)
Incorrect: 这个故事的结果很感人。(The result of this story is very touching.)
Think of it this way: An experiment has a 结果 (result). A story has a 结局 (ending). A soccer match has a 结果 (result), but if you describe the dramatic final season of the team, you might talk about its 结局 (ending).
Related Terms and Concepts
结果 (jiéguǒ) - A key distinction. Refers to the direct, factual “result” or “outcome,” whereas 结局 is a narrative conclusion.
结尾 (jiéwěi) - A close synonym, but often refers more to the physical/structural end of something, like the final paragraph of an essay (`文章的结尾`) or the tail-end of a process. 结局 focuses more on the plot's resolution.
收场 (shōuchǎng) - To end up; to wind up. Often used for how a situation concludes, frequently with a negative or messy connotation (e.g., “how will this mess end?”).
圆满 (yuánmǎn) - Perfect; satisfactory. The ideal adjective to describe a happy 结局.
悲剧 (bēijù) - Tragedy. A genre of story defined by its sad or disastrous 结局.
大团圆 (dàtuányuán) - Grand Reunion. The classic, culturally preferred happy ending in Chinese stories. Often used as 大团圆结局.
开放式结局 (kāifàngshì jiéjú) - Open-ended conclusion. A specific type of 结局 that leaves things unresolved.