<p>When someone asks you "what on earth are you doing?," "究竟 (jiūjìng)" is used by the speaker to intensify the question. In this case, 究竟 is similar to <a href="Expressing_"In_the_End"_with_"daodi"" title="wikilink">到底</a>.</p> <p>Note that 究竟 is more formal than 到底.</p> <h2 id="using-究竟-in-a-question">Using 究竟 in a question</h2> <h3 id="using-究竟-in-a-special-question">Using 究竟 in a special question</h3> <h4 id="structure">Structure</h4> <div class="jiegou"> <p>究竟 + Question Word</p> </div> <h4 id="examples">Examples</h4> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>这 个 人 <em>究竟</em> 是 谁？<span class="trans">Who on earth is this guy?</span></li> <li>你 <em>究竟</em> 是 做 什么 的？<span class="trans">What exactly do you do?</span></li> <li>他们 <em>究竟</em> 什么 时候 到？<span class="trans">When exactly are they arriving?</span></li> <li>我们 <em>究竟</em> 还 要 等 多久？<span class="trans">How much longer do we still need to wait?</span></li> <li>你们 <em>究竟</em> 想 让 我 怎么 做？<span class="trans">What on earth do you want me to do?</span></li> </ul> </div> <h3 id="using-究竟-in-a-yes-no-question">Using 究竟 in a yes / no question</h3> <h4 id="structure-1">Structure</h4> <div class="jiegou"> <p>究竟＋Verb＋没 / 不＋Verb</p> </div> <h4 id="examples-1">Examples</h4> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>你 <em>究竟</em> 来 不 来？<span class="trans">Are you coming or not?</span></li> <li>你们 <em>究竟</em> 能 不 能 帮 我？<span class="trans">Can you guys help me or not?</span></li> <li>她 <em>究竟</em> 是 不 是 你 女朋友？<span class="trans">So, is she your girlfriend or not?</span></li> <li>你 <em>究竟</em> 喜 不 喜欢 我？<span class="trans">So, do you like me or not?</span></li> <li>经理 <em>究竟</em> 同 不 同意？<span class="trans">Does the manager agree or not?</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="using-究竟-in-an-affirmative-sentence">Using 究竟 in an affirmative sentence</h2> <p>究竟 can be used with 是 for an emphasis on a fact, which is similar to <a href="Expressing_"after_all"_with_"bijing"" title="wikilink">毕竟</a>, meaning "after all."</p> <h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>A＋究竟 + 是＋ A，……</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>孩子 <em>究竟</em> 是 孩子，总是 想 着 怎么 玩。<span class="trans">Kids are kids after all. They always think about how to have fun.</span></li> <li>上海 <em>究竟</em> 是 上海，生活 成本 就 是 高。<span class="trans">Shanghai is Shanghai after all. The living expense here is high.</span></li> <li>年轻 人 <em>究竟</em> 是 年轻 人，精力 真 好。<span class="trans">Young people are young people after all. Their are so energetic.</span></li> <li>生意 人 <em>究竟</em> 是 生意 人，对 他们 来说，赚钱 是 最 重要 的 。<span class="trans">Businessman is businessman after all. The most important thing to them is making money.</span></li> <li>家人 <em>究竟</em> 是 家人，也许 你 不 喜欢 他们，但 你 还是 会 爱 他们。<span class="trans">Family are family after all. You may not like them, but you will still love them.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Expressing_"After_All"_with_"bijing"" title="wikilink">Expressing "After All" with "bijing"</a></li> <li><a href="Expressing_"In_the_End"_with_"daodi"" title="wikilink">Expressing "In the End" with "daodi"</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href="Chinese_Grammar_-_Broken_down_into_100_items_-_Basic_and_Intermediate_Levels_(汉语语法百项讲练_-_初中级)" title="wikilink">Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)</a> (pp.130-3) <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ">→buy</a></li> <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_4_(新实用汉语课本4)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)</a> (pp.19-20) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192">→buy</a></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><a href="Category:_B2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category: B2 grammar points</a></p>