B1 Advanced Conjunctions & Connectors

How to Say “As a Result” with 结果 (jiéguǒ)

结果 (jiéguǒ) means “as a result / in the end” — it opens the second clause and delivers the outcome of the first: 她穿得很少，结果感冒了 (“she underdressed, and as a result caught a cold”). It often flags an unexpected or unwanted twist: 我去接他，结果没接到 (“I went to pick him up, but in the end couldn’t find him”).

Why this trips learners up

结果 (jiéguǒ) is the connector for delivering an outcome. It opens the second half of a sentence and means “as a result / consequently / in the end.” The shape is Reason / Situation ，结果 + Result: 她穿得很少，结果感冒了 (“she didn’t dress warmly, and as a result caught a cold”), 他每天锻炼，结果身体越来越好 (“he works out daily, so he keeps getting healthier”). The result can be good or bad.

Its special talent is the unexpected / undesired twist. Often there’s no tidy cause-and-effect — 结果 just signals that what actually happened was surprising: 我准备了很久，结果面试被取消了 (“I prepared for ages, only for the interview to be cancelled”), 我们本来想去爬山，结果下了一整天的雨 (“we’d planned to hike, but it ended up raining all day”). That “…and then, plot twist” flavour is where 结果 shines.

This is what separates 结果 from 所以 (“so / therefore”). 所以 draws a logical conclusion — 路很滑，所以要小心 (“the road’s slippery, so be careful”). 结果 reports the actual outcome, often one you didn’t see coming — 我去找他，结果他不在 (“I went to find him, but he wasn’t there”). 所以 is reasoning; 结果 is what really happened.

Two notes. 结果 opens the result clause — it doesn’t lead the whole sentence (you need the setup first), and you don’t stack it with 所以 (each links the result on its own). And don’t reduce it to 然后 (“and then”): 然后 merely sequences events, while 结果 delivers the payoff. (结果 is also the noun “result / outcome,” as in 考试结果 — here it’s the clause connector.)

The structure

Other 结果 jiéguǒ Other

Colour key

Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.

Pattern Other

Examples in context

Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.

Tap a word to see its grammatical role.

wǒ zuótiān méi shuì hǎo 我昨天没睡好 Other jiéguǒ 结果 Pattern jīntiān hěn lèi 今天很累 Other

I didn’t sleep well last night, so today I’m exhausted (a logical result).

tā měitiān duànliàn 他每天锻炼 Other jiéguǒ 结果 Pattern shēntǐ yuèláiyuè hǎo 身体越来越好 Other

He exercises every day, and as a result he’s getting healthier (a positive result).

wǒ xìngchōngchōng de pǎo guòqù 我兴冲冲地跑过去 Other jiéguǒ 结果 Pattern rèn cuò le rén 认错了人 Other

I rushed over excitedly, only to realize I’d mistaken the person (an unexpected twist).

lùshàng dǔchē dǔ de lìhai 路上堵车堵得厉害 Other jiéguǒ 结果 Pattern wǒmen chídào le bàn ge xiǎoshí 我们迟到了半个小时 Other

Traffic was terrible, so we ended up half an hour late (a logical result).

wǒ zhǔnbèi le hěn jiǔ 我准备了很久 Other jiéguǒ 结果 Pattern miànshì bèi qǔxiāo le 面试被取消了 Other

I prepared for ages, only for the interview to get cancelled (unexpected / unwanted).

wǒmen běnlái xiǎng qù páshān 我们本来想去爬山 Other jiéguǒ 结果 Pattern xià le yì zhěng tiān de yǔ 下了一整天的雨 Other

We’d planned to go hiking, but it ended up raining all day (plans foiled).

tā xìnshìdàndàn de shuō méi wèntí 他信誓旦旦地说没问题 Other jiéguǒ 结果 Pattern dì yī tiān jiù chū cuò le 第一天就出错了 Other

He swore up and down it’d be fine — and then messed up on day one (promise vs reality).

wǒ tèyì tíqián dào le 我特意提前到了 Other jiéguǒ 结果 Pattern fāxiàn huìyì gǎi dào le xià zhōu 发现会议改到了下周 Other

I made a point of arriving early, only to find the meeting had moved to next week (the twist).

Common mistakes

Avoid: 结果我没睡好，今天很累。 jiéguǒ wǒ méi shuì hǎo, jīntiān hěn lèi.

Say this: 我没睡好，结果今天很累。 wǒ méi shuì hǎo, jiéguǒ jīntiān hěn lèi.

Why it happens: 结果 opens the RESULT clause — it doesn’t lead the whole sentence. Set up the situation first: 我没睡好，结果今天很累, not 结果我没睡好，今天很累.

Avoid: 我没复习，所以结果没考好。 wǒ méi fùxí, suǒyǐ jiéguǒ méi kǎo hǎo.

Say this: 我没复习，结果没考好。 wǒ méi fùxí, jiéguǒ méi kǎo hǎo.

Why it happens: 结果 already links the result on its own — don’t stack it with 所以: 我没复习，结果没考好, not 我没复习，所以结果没考好.

Avoid: 我去机场接他，然后没接到他。 wǒ qù jīchǎng jiē tā, ránhòu méi jiēdào tā.

Say this: 我去机场接他，结果没接到他。 wǒ qù jīchǎng jiē tā, jiéguǒ méi jiēdào tā.

Why it happens: 结果 delivers the (often unexpected) outcome; 然后 only sequences (“and then”). For the twist, use 结果: 我去机场接他，结果没接到他, not …然后没接到他.

Compare & contrast

结果 — “as a result / in the end” (the actual outcome, often unexpected)	所以 — “so / therefore” (a logical conclusion)	The difference
他开得太快，结果出了事故tā kāi de tài kuài, jiéguǒ chū le shìgù	路很滑，所以要小心lù hěn huá, suǒyǐ yào xiǎoxīn	他开得太快，结果出了事故 = “he drove too fast and ended up in an accident” (the actual outcome). 路很滑，所以要小心 = “the road’s slippery, so be careful” (a logical conclusion).
我去找他，结果他不在wǒ qù zhǎo tā, jiéguǒ tā bù zài	他病了，所以没来tā bìng le, suǒyǐ méi lái	我去找他，结果他不在 = “I went to find him — but he wasn’t there” (an unexpected outcome). 他病了，所以没来 = “he was sick, so he didn’t come” (cause → effect).

Rule of thumb结果 = “as a result / in the end,” opening the second clause to report what actually happened — and it’s the go-to for an unexpected twist (结果没接到他). 所以 = “so / therefore,” a logical conclusion (所以要小心). Reasoning → 所以; actual (often surprising) outcome → 结果.

Try it yourself

Say “He woke up late, so he was late (in the end).” — Situation ，结果 + result.

Related patterns

Quick reference card

How to Say “As a Result” with 结果 (jiéguǒ) grammar.merrymandarin.com

A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.

Structure

Other + 结果 + Other

Example

我昨天没睡好结果今天很累

I didn’t sleep well last night, so today I’m exhausted (a logical result).

Watch out

✗ 结果我没睡好，今天很累。 → ✓ 我没睡好，结果今天很累。