zuò wán: 做完 - To Finish, To Complete

• Keywords: zuowan, zuo wan, 做完, finish doing, complete, done with, Chinese result complement, resultative complement, 完 wan, HSK 2 grammar, Chinese for beginners, how to say finished in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 做完 (zuò wán), which means “to finish” or “to complete” an action. This page breaks down how the verb “做 (zuò)” combines with the result complement “完 (wán)” to express completion, a fundamental concept in Chinese grammar. Discover practical examples, cultural context, and common mistakes to help you master how to say you are “done with” something, perfect for HSK 2 level and beginner learners.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zuò wán
• Part of Speech: Verb phrase (Verb + Result Complement)
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To finish doing something; to complete a task.
• In a Nutshell: In English, we say “I did my homework.” In Chinese, the verb `做 (zuò)` just means “to do”—it doesn't tell us if the task is finished. To show the action is complete, you must add a “result complement” like `完 (wán)`, which means “finished.” So, `做完 (zuò wán)` literally translates to “do-finish,” which is the standard and clearest way to say you've completed an action.

• 做 (zuò): This character means “to do,” “to make,” or “to engage in.” It's one of the most common verbs in Chinese. It consists of the person radical (亻) on the left and a phonetic component (故) on the right. Think of it as a person doing something.
• 完 (wán): This character means “finished,” “complete,” or “whole.” It's composed of the “roof” radical (宀) over the character `元` (yuán), which means “first” or “primary.” A simple way to remember it is: once the primary task is brought under one roof, it is complete.
• Combined Meaning: When you put them together, `做完` (zuò wán) creates a specific meaning: “to do an action to the point of completion.” The `完` describes the result of the `做`. This verb-complement structure is a cornerstone of the Chinese language.

While `做完` is a grammatical structure, it reflects a subtle cultural emphasis on results and completion. In English, verb tense is primary (e.g., “I worked” vs. “I was working”). The statement “I did my homework” is ambiguous—it might mean you finished it, or it might mean you simply worked on it for a while. In Chinese, the result is often explicitly stated. Saying `我做完作业了` (Wǒ zuò wán zuòyè le) is a clear, unambiguous statement of completion. This linguistic habit aligns with a pragmatic cultural value of seeing tasks through to their conclusion. The focus is less on the process (the “doing”) and more on the outcome (the “finishing”). For a learner, mastering result complements like `完` is a major step toward speaking more natural, outcome-oriented Chinese.

`做完` is an extremely common, everyday phrase used in all contexts, from casual conversation to formal work reports.

• Daily Life: You'll use it for chores, homework, reading a book, or any other task. It's the default way to talk about finishing something.
• Work and School: It's essential for providing status updates. A boss might ask, `报告做完了吗？` (Bàogào zuò wán le ma? - “Is the report finished?”), and you would answer, `做完了` (Zuò wán le - “It's finished”).
• The Negative Form: To say you *haven't* finished, the structure is `还没做完` (hái méi zuò wán - “still not finished”). This is also extremely common.
• The Potential Form: To express ability, Chinese inserts `得` (de) or `不` (bu) between the verb and complement.
  • `做得完` (zuò de wán) - can finish (implying there is enough time/ability).
  • `做不完` (zuò bu wán) - cannot finish (implying there is not enough time/ability).

• Example 1:
  • 我终于做完作业了！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhōngyú zuò wán zuòyè le!
  • English: I finally finished my homework!
  • Analysis: A classic beginner sentence. `终于` (zhōngyú) adds a sense of relief, and `了` (le) indicates a change of state (the homework has now become “finished”).
• Example 2:
  • 你什么时候能做完？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shénme shíhòu néng zuò wán?
  • English: When can you finish?
  • Analysis: A common question about deadlines. `能` (néng) here means “to be able to” or “can.”
• Example 3:
  • 对不起，我还没做完。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, wǒ hái méi zuò wán.
  • English: Sorry, I haven't finished yet.
  • Analysis: This is the standard negative form. Note the use of `还没` (hái méi) for “not yet.” You do not use `不` (bù) to negate past actions.
• Example 4:
  • 今天的家务你都做完了吗？
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de jiāwù nǐ dōu zuò wán le ma?
  • English: Have you finished all of today's chores?
  • Analysis: The word `都` (dōu) means “all,” emphasizing the completion of every single chore.
• Example 5:
  • 这项工作太难了，我一个人做不完。
  • Pinyin: Zhè xiàng gōngzuò tài nán le, wǒ yí ge rén zuò bu wán.
  • English: This job is too difficult, I can't finish it by myself.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the potential complement `做不完` (zuò bu wán) to mean “cannot finish.”
• Example 6:
  • 别担心，两个小时肯定做得完。
  • Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, liǎng ge xiǎoshí kěndìng zuò de wán.
  • English: Don't worry, we can definitely finish it in two hours.
  • Analysis: This is the positive potential complement, `做得完` (zuò de wán), expressing the ability to finish within a certain timeframe.
• Example 7:
  • 做完手头的事，我们就去吃饭。
  • Pinyin: Zuò wán shǒutóu de shì, wǒmen jiù qù chīfàn.
  • English: After we finish the task at hand, we'll go eat.
  • Analysis: Here, `做完…就…` (zuò wán… jiù…) is a structure meaning “as soon as… then…” It shows a sequence of events.
• Example 8:
  • 他把这个项目做完以后就升职了。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ zhège xiàngmù zuò wán yǐhòu jiù shēngzhí le.
  • English: He got a promotion after he finished this project.
  • Analysis: This example uses the `把` (bǎ) structure, which brings the object (the project) before the verb to emphasize its disposal. `把…做完` is a very common pattern.
• Example 9:
  • 如果你今天做不完，明天可以继续。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ jīntiān zuò bu wán, míngtiān kěyǐ jìxù.
  • English: If you can't finish today, you can continue tomorrow.
  • Analysis: Another example of `做不完` (zuò bu wán) used in a conditional “if… then…” sentence.
• Example 10:
  • 妈妈要求我必须先做完功课才能看电视。
  • Pinyin: Māma yāoqiú wǒ bìxū xiān zuò wán gōngkè cáinéng kàn diànshì.
  • English: Mom requires that I must first finish my homework before I can watch TV.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a common scenario for children, using the structure `先…才…` (xiān… cái…) meaning “only after doing A can one do B.”

• Mistake 1: Confusing `了` (le) with completion.
  • A common beginner mistake is to think `我做了作业` (Wǒ zuò le zuòyè) means “I finished my homework.” This is incorrect. `了` simply indicates that the action of “doing” occurred in the past. It could mean you only did half of it.
  • Incorrect: 我昨天做了我的报告。(Could mean you just worked on it).
  • Correct: 我昨天做完了我的报告。(Unambiguously means you completed it).
• Mistake 2: Incorrect Word Order with Objects.
  • Unlike English (“finish the homework”), the object in Chinese comes after the entire `verb-complement` phrase.
  • Incorrect: 我做完 了 作业。(The object should not separate `完` and `了`).
  • Correct: 我做完了作业。
  • Also Correct (and common): 我把作业做完了。 (Using the `把` structure).
• `做完` vs. `完成` (wánchéng):
  • `做完` is more colloquial and used for everyday tasks. `完成` is more formal and is often used for larger, more significant tasks like a project, a mission, or a degree. You would `做完` your homework but `完成` a five-year plan.

• 看完 (kàn wán) - To finish reading or finish watching. (Uses the same `完` complement with a different verb).
• 吃完 (chī wán) - To finish eating. (Another example of the verb + `完` pattern).
• 用完 (yòng wán) - To use up. (e.g., “I used up all the money”).
• 完成 (wánchéng) - A more formal synonym for “to complete” or “to accomplish,” often used for major projects or goals.
• 结束 (jiéshù) - To end; to conclude. This describes a process or event coming to an end, not necessarily a task being completed by someone (e.g., `会议结束了` - The meeting has ended).
• 做好 (zuò hǎo) - To do well; to finish something properly. The result complement `好` (hǎo) focuses on the *quality* of the completion, not just the completion itself.
• 办完 (bàn wán) - To finish handling/processing something, typically a procedure or errand (e.g., `办完签证` - finish processing a visa).
• 做不完 (zuò bu wán) - The potential form, meaning “cannot finish.”
• 做得完 (zuò de wán) - The potential form, meaning “can finish.”