HSK 4
Correct
到底 vs 究竟
/ dàodǐ vs jiūjìng /
Strokes
Formula
1
到底（究竟） + Interrogative Pronouns (who, where, how, what, why)
2
到底（究竟） + Interrogative Words (how many, how much)
3
到底（究竟） + Verb + 不 + Verb ( + Noun )
4
到底（究竟） + Adjective + 不 + Adjective
5
到底（究竟） + 有没有 + Noun
6
到底（究竟） + Verb ( + Noun ) + 了 + 没有
7
到底（终于） + Verb/Adjective + 了
8
到底 + 还是
Definition
Both 到底 (dàodǐ) and 究竟 (jiūjìng) both are Adverbs of Mood (语气副词), both can be used to emphasize a question or statement, but they have different tones, usages, and grammatical roles. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
1. 到底 (dàodǐ) – Stronger, More Spoken, and More Emotional
Usage:
In Questions (Stronger Emphasis, Often Impatient or Frustrated)
- Used to press for a clear answer (like "on earth" or "exactly" in English).
- Common in spoken Chinese, especially in rhetorical or impatient questions.
- 你到底去不去？ (Nǐ dàodǐ qù bù qù?) – "Are you going or not?" (Impatient)
- 这到底是怎么回事？ (Zhè dàodǐ shì zěnme huí shì?) – "What on earth is going on?"
In Statements (Emphasizing a Fact or Conclusion)
- Means "after all" or "in the end," often with a tone of resignation or realization.
- 他到底还是来了。 (Tā dàodǐ háishì lái le.) – "He came after all."
- 到底是个孩子，不懂这些。 (Dàodǐ shì gè háizi, bù dǒng zhèxiē.) – "After all, he’s just a kid and doesn’t understand."
As a Verb Phrase (Literally "To the End")
- Rare but possible in formal contexts (e.g., 坚持到底 – "persist to the end").
2. 究竟 (jiūjìng) – More Formal, Neutral, and Used in Writing
Usage:
In Questions (Neutral, Seeking Truth or Clarity)
- Used to ask for the real reason or truth (like "actually" or "exactly").
- More formal and neutral than 到底 (no frustration implied).
- 你究竟想说什么？ (Nǐ jiūjìng xiǎng shuō shénme?) – "What exactly do you want to say?"
- 这件事究竟是谁做的？ (Zhè jiàn shì jiūjìng shì shéi zuò de?) – "Who actually did this?"
In Statements (Emphasizing a Fact, Like "After All")
- Similar to 到底 but more formal and less emotional.
- 他究竟是个专家，懂得很多。 (Tā jiūjìng shì gè zhuānjiā, dǒng de hěn duō.) – "After all, he’s an expert and knows a lot."
- 究竟还是失败了。 (Jiūjìng háishì shībài le.) – "In the end, we still failed."
As a Noun (Meaning "The Truth" or "Outcome")
- Used in phrases like "问个究竟" (ask for the truth) or "知道个究竟" (find out the truth).
- 我想知道个究竟。 (Wǒ xiǎng zhīdào gè jiūjìng.) – "I want to find out the truth."
3. Key Differences Summary
| Feature | 到底 (dàodǐ) | 究竟 (jiūjìng) |
|---|---|---|
| Tone | Stronger, emotional (impatient/frustrated) | Neutral, formal (seeking truth) |
| Usage in Questions | "What on earth...?" (spoken) | "What exactly...?" (written/formal) |
| Usage in Statements | "After all" (emotional) | "After all" (neutral/factual) |
| Grammatical Role | Mainly adverb | Adverb + noun ("the truth") |
| Example (Question) | "你到底想干嘛？" (Impatient) | "你究竟想干嘛？" (Neutral) |
| Example (Statement) | "他到底还是来了。" (Resigned) | "他究竟是个聪明人。" (Factual) |
Final Summary
- Use 到底 (dàodǐ) for strong, emotional emphasis (spoken Chinese, impatient questions).
- Use 究竟 (jiūjìng) for neutral, formal questions or when referring to "the truth" (noun form).
Example
到底 and 究竟 can be placed at the beginning of the interrogative sentences.
到底（究竟） + Interrogative Pronouns (who, where, how, what, why)
到底（究竟） + Interrogative Words (how many, how much)
1
Dàodǐ
到底
(
jiūjìng
究竟
)
shuí
谁
qù
去
?
Who is going to on earth?
2
Dàodǐ
到底
(
jiūjìng
究竟
)
duōshǎo
多少
qián
钱
?
How much on earth?
Subject + 到底（究竟） + ……
到底（究竟） + Verb + 不 + Verb ( + Noun )
到底（究竟） + Adjective + 不 + Adjective
到底（究竟） + 有没有 + Noun
到底（究竟） + Verb ( + Noun ) + 了 + 没有
3
Nǐ
你
míngtiān
明天
dàodǐ
到底
(
jiūjìng
究竟
)
qù
去
bù
不
qù
去
chángchéng
长城
?
Will you on earth go to the Great Wall tomorrow?
4
Zhège
这个
bànfǎ
办法
dàodǐ
到底
(
jiūjìng
究竟
)
hǎo
好
bùhǎo
不好
?
Is this a good idea on earth?
5
Huǒxīng
火星
shàng
上
dàodǐ
到底
(
jiūjìng
究竟
)
yǒu
有
méiyǒu
没有
rén
人
?
Is there life on Mars on earth?
6
Nǐ
你
dàodǐ
到底
(
jiūjìng
究竟
)
zuò
做
wán
完
zuòyè
作业
le
了
méiyǒu
没有
?
Did you finish your homework on earth?
到底（究竟） also means 终于 - 1
It means a result has finally been reached after a long time or a process.
1. To indicate the result is successful after hard work
1. To indicate the result is successful after hard work
到底（终于） + Verb/Adjective + 了
7
Wǒ
我
shuō
说
le
了
hěn
很
jiǔ
久
,
zuìhòu
最后
tā
他
dàodǐ
到底
(
zhōngyú
终于
)
míngbai
明白
le
了
。
I've been talking for a long time. Finally, he understood .
8
Zhǎo
找
le
了
bàntiān
半天
,
wǒ
我
de
的
qiánbāo
钱包
dàodǐ
到底
(
zhōngyú
终于
)
zhǎodào
找到
liǎo
了
。
I searched for hours, finally, I found my purse.
究竟/到底 also means 终于 - 2
2. To indicate the result is a failure despite the efforts made
到底 + 还是
9
Wǒ
我
shuō
说
le
了
hěn
很
jiǔ
久
,
dànshì
但是
tā
他
dàodǐ
到底
háishi
还是
bù
不
míngbái
明白
。
I talked with him for hours, he still didn't understand.
10
Zhǎo
找
le
了
bàntiān
半天
,
zuìhòu
最后
wǒ
我
de
的
qiánbāo
钱包
dàodǐ
到底
háishi
还是
méi
没
zhǎodào
找到
。
I searched for hours, but I didn't find my purse at last.
Mistake
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Wrong: 究竟！你去不去？ (Sounds unnatural; 到底 is better for impatient questions.)
✅ Correct: 到底！你去不去？ (Dàodǐ! Nǐ qù bù qù?) – "Seriously! Are you going or not?"
❌ Wrong: 我想知道个到底。 (到底 cannot be a noun.)
✅ Correct: 我想知道个究竟。 (Wǒ xiǎng zhīdào gè jiūjìng.) – "I want to find out the truth."
Exercise
Practice Sentences
Choose 到底 or 究竟 or 到底 / 究竟:
- 你____有没有时间？ (到底 – impatient)
- 这个问题的答案____是什么？ (究竟 – neutral)
- 他____是个好人。 (究竟 – formal statement)
- 你____什么时候回来？ (到底 – frustrated)
- 这篇课文他看了五遍，（ ）看懂了。
- 这篇课文他看了五遍，（ ）看懂了没有？
- 他（ ）成功了。
- 他（ ）成功了没有？
- 你（ ）想去哪儿？
- 这么多年, 你的性格（ ）还是没有改变。
- 她一直不说话，（ ）怎么了？
- 我写了一年，（ ）把论文(lùnwén, thesis) 写完了。
Translate:
- "What on earth are you doing?" → 你____在干什么？ (到底)
- "After all, he’s just a beginner." → ____是个新手。 (究竟)