'期末' (qī mò) literally combines '期' (qī), meaning 'term' or 'period', and '末' (mò), meaning 'end' or 'close'. Together, they form a compound noun meaning 'end of term' — specifically referring to the final stage of an academic term, typically when final exams, grade assessments, and course wrap-ups occur.

This word is commonly used in educational contexts across China, Taiwan, and other Mandarin-speaking regions. It appears in phrases like '期末考试' (end-of-term exam), '期末成绩' (end-of-term grades), and '期末复习' (end-of-term review). Unlike general time expressions such as '年底' (end of year), '期末' is narrowly tied to formal schooling cycles — semesters or academic terms — and is rarely used outside education or administrative school settings.