末

• Pinyin: mò
• Hanzi breakdown: 末 = 木 (tree) with a horizontal stroke at the top indicating the tip/end of the tree

Meaning

End; tip; final part. Refers to the very end or extremity of something in time or space.

Most commonly used in compound words such as 周末 (weekend), 年末 (end of year), 末尾 (tail end), and 期末 (end of term). It contrasts with 本 (root/origin) and 始 (beginning). In literary Chinese, it can also mean minor or trivial, as in the idiom 舍本逐末 (abandon the fundamental for the trivial).

Examples

1. 每个学期末，学生们都要准备考试。 At the end of every semester, students have to prepare for exams.
2. 这条路的末端有一个小公园。 At the end of this road, there is a small park.
3. 到了年末，公司会给大家发奖金。 At the end of the year, the company gives everyone bonuses.

Usage Guide

Context: time expressions, academic, general

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 期末考试你准备好了吗？(Are you ready for the end-of-term exam?)
• 年末的时候工作特别忙。(Work is especially busy at the end of the year.)

Don't Say

• 单独用'末'来表示'最后' (Don't use 末 by itself to mean 'last' or 'finally' in everyday speech — use it in compounds like 末尾, 末端, 期末)

Origin & History

A pictographic character showing a mark at the top of a tree (木), indicating the tip or topmost part, which evolved to mean 'end' more broadly.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal