44.3 The Verbal Particle 完 jyun4 (‘finished’)

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The word 完 jyun4 means ‘to be finished’ or ‘to come to an end’ as a verb. We can also use 完 jyun4 as a verbal particle to mean ‘finished’. The verbal particle 完 jyun4 indicates that an action has been finished and emphasizes that the action has come to an end. We use 完 jyun4 when the end of the action is important in the context. For example, we use 完 jyun4 when we want to indicate that an action should be done after the end of another action.

蒸完之後，加啲蔥絲同豉油。
zing1 jyun4 zi1 hau6, gaa1 di1 cung1 si1 tung4 si6 jau4.
After you have finished steaming [the fish], add some shredded spring onion and soy sauce.

醃完之後，搽啲生粉。
jip3 jyun4 zi1 hau6, caa4 di1 saang1 fan2.
After you have finished marinating [the fish], apply some starch.

完 jyun4 may look similar to the aspect particle 咗 zo2 (Grammar and Vocabulary 13.4) and the verbal particle 好 hou2 (Grammar and Vocabulary 29.1), but there are some differences among these three particles:

ParticleUseExample
Aspect particle 咗zo2- It indicates the action has been completed.蒸咗之後，加啲蔥絲同豉油。
zing1 zo2 zi1 hau6, gaa1 di1 cung1 si1 tung4 si6 jau4.
After you have steamed it, add some shredded spring onion and soy sauce.
Verbal particle 好hou2- It indicates the action has been completed.
- It additionally indicates the action has been completed well with a favorable outcome.		蒸好之後，加啲蔥絲同豉油。
zing1 hou2 zi1 hau6, gaa1 di1 cung1 si1 tung4 si6 jau4.
After you have finished steaming it [well with a favorable outcome], add shredded some spring onion and soy sauce.
Verbal particle 完jyun4- It indicates the action has been completed.
- It emphasizes that the action has come to an end.		蒸完之後，加啲蔥絲同豉油。
zing1 jyun4 zi1 hau6, gaa1 di1 cung1 si1 tung4 si6 jau4.
After you have finished steaming it [when the steaming has come to an end], add some shredded spring onion and soy sauce.

The meaning of the three sentences above may look similar to each other. However, in some other situations, the meaning can differ significantly when a different particle is used. We will see more examples in later books.