Meaning of 始终
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- from beginning to end
- all along
How to use 始终
始终 goes before the verb or adjective to say a situation never changed over a period of time. It is very common with negatives like 始终没 or 始终不. Example: 他始终没有说话。(Tā shǐzhōng méiyǒu shuōhuà.) He didn't say a word the whole time.
始终 is built from 始 (shǐ), the start, as in 开始 (kāishǐ), and 终 (zhōng), the end, as in 终点 (zhōngdiǎn). Start plus end means something holds true from the beginning all the way to the end.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 始终 with 终于 (zhōngyú). 终于 means something finally happened after a wait, while 始终 means it stayed the same all along. Also remember 始 is third tone (shǐ), not first tone like 师 (shī).
始终 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
始 shǐ · to begin · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 8
终 zhōng · end · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
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Related words
Words that share a character with 始终.
| 开始 | kāishǐ | to begin; to start; beginning; start |
| 终于 | zhōngyú | at last; in the end |
| 原始 | yuánshǐ | first; original |
| 终止 | zhōngzhǐ | to stop; to terminate |
| 终身 | zhōngshēn | lifelong; all one's life |
| 终点 | zhōngdiǎn | the end; end point |
| 最终 | zuìzhōng | final; ultimate |
| 终结 | zhōngjié | end; conclusion; to come to an end; to terminate (sth) |
| 终生 | zhōngshēng | throughout one's life; lifetime; lifelong |
| 终究 | zhōngjiū | in the end; after all; eventually |
| 创始人 | chuàngshǐrén | creator; founder; initiator |
| 自始至终 | zìshǐ-zhìzhōng | from start to finish (idiom) |
Questions about 始终
What does 始终 mean?
始终 (shǐzhōng) means "from beginning to end; all along" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 始终?
始终 is made of 2 characters: 始 (8 strokes), 终 (8 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 始终 an HSK word?
Yes. 始终 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 始终 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 始终 is written 始終.
What is the difference between 始终 and 一直?
Both can mean all along, but 一直 (yìzhí) is more casual and can also describe something continuing into the future. 始终 sounds a bit more formal and stresses the whole period from start to finish, usually one already in the past or ongoing.
Can 始终 be used as a noun?
Yes, in fixed expressions it can mean the whole process, as in 贯彻始终 (guànchè shǐzhōng), to carry through from start to finish. In everyday speech, though, it is almost always used as an adverb before a verb.