jìng

actually

Original meaning: 

tattoo criminals on the face

Depicts a tattoo tool () marking a person's () head as punishment for a crime. Based on the original meaning "tattoo criminals on the face", now written as . The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
辛 iconic component

  Iconic component

xīn

  

laborious

Depicts a chisel-like tool. The modern form looks like but is unrelated.

人 iconic component

  Iconic component

rén

  

person

Evolution

竟 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
竟 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
竟 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
竟 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
竟 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

jìng

finally, after all, at last; unexpectedly; actually; to go so far as to; indeed

Most common words with 竟
Freq.
Word
Meaning

竟然

unexpectedly

究竟

after all

毕竟

after all

actually

竟敢

to have the impertinence

Component uses

Sound component in 4 characters (3 verified)