ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY

to finish / complete

wán
7 strokes · 宀 (roof radical) + 元 (sound) — the house fully built · HSK 2

Where 完 comes from

完 puts 元 under a finished roof 宀: the house complete, nothing left to build. Completion drawn as architecture — when the roof is on, the work is 完.

完 in Chinese culture

完 ends things: 完成 (accomplish), 吃完 (finish eating), 卖完了 (sold out — the two characters of disappointment at every popular restaurant), 用完 (used up). As a verb-complement it seals any action: V+完 means truly done. And the single dramatic 完了! ('it's over! I'm doomed!') is the national exclamation of realizing you left your phone in the taxi.

Example

完成 wánchéng — to complete

我做完作业了。
Wǒ zuòwán zuòyè le.
I've finished my homework.

How to remember it

Roof 宀 on, house done — FINISHED.

完了 means both 'finished' and 'I'm doomed' — completion and catastrophe, one tone of voice apart.

Same sound, different tones

1st wān
curved
2nd wán
to finish
3rd wǎn
late

Words unlocked by 完

完成 wánchéng
to complete
吃完 chīwán
finish eating
卖完了 màiwán le
sold out
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