了结

• Pinyin: liǎo jié
• Hanzi breakdown: 了 = 子 simplified (finish/complete — a child grown, matter done); 结 = 纟 + 吉 (tie/conclude — silk threads bound together auspiciously)

Meaning

To conclude; to settle; to bring to an end. To resolve or finish something completely so that it no longer remains as an unresolved matter.

Used for matters that have been dragging on or causing tension — debts, disputes, grievances, or long-standing affairs. Has a tone of finality and closure. More formal than 结束 (to end) and implies the resolution of something that was unfinished or problematic. Common in legal, literary, and personal contexts.

Examples

1. 双方经过漫长的谈判，终于以庭外和解的方式了结了这场旷日持久的商业纠纷。 After lengthy negotiations, the two sides finally brought the long-running business dispute to an end through an out-of-court settlement.
2. 他决心在退休之前了结所有未竟的学术课题，不留任何遗憾。 He was determined to wrap up all his unfinished academic projects before retiring, leaving no regrets.
3. 这笔多年前拖欠的债务如今终于得以了结，双方都松了一口气。 That debt that had been overdue for many years has finally been settled, and both sides breathed a sigh of relief.

Usage Guide

Context: legal disputes, financial settlements, personal affairs

Tone: resolute

Do Say

• 法院裁定双方达成协议，这场持续三年的合同纠纷就此了结。(The court ruled that both parties had reached an agreement, bringing this three-year contract dispute to a close.)
• 他希望在有生之年了结所有心愿，不给自己留下任何未完成的遗憾。(He hopes to settle all his wishes while still alive, leaving no unfinished regrets behind.)

Don't Say

• 用'了结'描述积极完成的普通任务 — 该词带有解决遗留问题或终结困境的含义，普通完成用'完成'或'结束'即可

Origin & History

了 (to finish/to conclude — a character showing completion) + 结 (to tie/to conclude — bringing threads together to form a knot of closure)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal