矣

Signals that a state of affairs has been reached or a transition has occurred. It marks "realization," indicating that something has become the case rather than simply being the case. It carries a modal weight of finality, often functioning as an assertion or an exclamation of fact.

Position is almost exclusively clause-final or sentence-final. It frequently clusters with adverbs of time such as 已 (already) or 今 (now), though it can imply these meanings independently. In interrogative contexts, it typically suggests the speaker is seeking confirmation of a suspected completion.

Contrast with 也 (yě): while 也 is generally stative or categorical (describing a general truth or persisting state), 矣 is dynamic, implying movement toward a conclusion or a shift in status. A shift from 也 to 矣 within parallel structures often signals a move from a general principle to a specific, realized event.

Fanqie reading: 于紀; Tang-period reading: *hiə̌.

Avoid the tendency to translate every instance of 矣 with a literal adverb such as "already." Because it marks the perfective aspect, the most natural English equivalent is often found in the verb tense (the perfect tense) or in the overall tone of finality attributed to the sentence.