终究: after all, in the end
【高47】语气副词 / adverbs
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
终究 holds that a basic fact or a natural outcome cannot be changed: "after all", "in the end", "sooner or later". Two uses: (1) about the nature of things, often to ask for leniency: 他终究是个孩子，你要多一点耐心; (2) about an unavoidable outcome, often with 会 or 要: 你们对工作这么不负责任，终究会出问题的.
终究 leans on time and fate and is always a statement, never a question. Compare: 毕竟 (level 5) only recalls the fact that outweighs the rest, in the present; 到底 / 究竟 (level 4) serve questions (他到底是谁?); 终于 announces the hoped-for result that finally arrives (我终于找到了工作).
Examples
他终究是个孩子，你要多一点耐心。
Tā zhōngjiū shì ge háizi, nǐ yào duō yìdiǎn nàixīn.He's only a child, after all, so be a bit more patient.
你们对工作这么不负责任，终究会出问题的。
Nǐmen duì gōngzuò zhème bú fù zérèn, zhōngjiū huì chū wèntí de.Being this irresponsible about work, you're bound to run into trouble sooner or later.
再好的朋友，终究也要各走各的路。
Zài hǎo de péngyou, zhōngjiū yě yào gè zǒu gè de lù.Even the best of friends will in the end each go their own way.
谎话说得再好，终究会被人拆穿。
Huǎnghuà shuō de zài hǎo, zhōngjiū huì bèi rén chāichuān.However well a lie is told, it will be exposed in the end.
再硬的五花肉，炖够了时间终究会软的。
Zài yìng de wǔhuāròu, dùn gòu le shíjiān zhōngjiū huì ruǎn de.However tough the pork belly, give it enough time and it will get tender in the end.
考试成绩只是一时的，能力终究要靠平时一点一点积累。
Kǎoshì chéngjì zhǐ shì yìshí de, nénglì zhōngjiū yào kào píngshí yìdiǎn yìdiǎn jīlěi.An exam score is only a moment in time; in the end, ability has to be built up bit by bit, day by day.
Common mistakes
✗ 我终究找到了工作！ → ✓ 我终于找到了工作！ (a hoped-for result that finally arrives takes 终于).
✗ 他终究是谁？ → ✓ 他到底是谁？ (questions take 到底 / 究竟).
✗ 这样下去，毕竟会出问题的。 → ✓ 这样下去，终究会出问题的。 (毕竟 recalls a fact that outweighs the rest; an unavoidable outcome is 终究).