终于

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 终于 (zhōngyú) is composed of two characters: 终 (zhōng) and 于 (yú). The character 终 originally meant "the end" or "the limit", and was often used in ancient Chinese texts to refer to the end of a person's life or the end of a dynasty. The character 于 originally meant "to" or "at", and was often used to indicate a location or a point in time. When these two characters are combined, they form the word 终于, which means "finally" or "at last". This word is often used to express a sense of relief or satisfaction after achieving a goal or overcoming a challenge. For example, a student who has finally passed a difficult exam might say "我终于通过考试了!" (Wǒ zhōngyú tòngguò kǎoshì le!, "I finally passed the exam!").