For four years, she studied countless hours and endured enormous pressure -- all in hopes of spelling greatness at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

So what does Josephine Kao do now?

Easy: Keep on learning.

“It’s still important for the SATs,” the 14-year-old said with a laugh.

Last week, Kao wrapped up her fourth trip to the prestigious contest, held every year in Washington, D.C.

Alas, in the fifth round at her final contest – she’s unable to compete again because of her age – Kao was undone by a three-syllable utterance: gastaldo.

The Italianate word – which Kao spelled with an “e” in the first syllable instead of an “a” – refers to a member of a nobleman’s household.

“It was overwhelming. There were a lot of emotions going on,” Kao said of the moment when she realized her mistake.

“She’s really mature,” said Peggy Kao, Josephine’s mom. “I said, even when you didn’t achieve your goal, the knowledge you get from preparing, it’s going to stay.”

(Also a perk: Jill Biden, the vice president’s wife and an English professor, spoke to contestants at this year’s bee.)

Kao, whose spelling talents have captivated the city each time she has tried for the prize, remains sanguine.

“Everything comes to an end,” said Kao, an eighth-grader in the Visions in Education charter program.

But not her love of linguistics.

Kao will continue to lead a spelling club at the Martha Riley Community Library, an informal Wednesday gathering for schoolchildren to get some after-school help with their language arts.

“They’re amazing,” said Kao, who is interested in becoming a writing instructor. “I like to help them learn, but I don’t think they realize they’re actually helping me a lot.”

There is, of course, much more to her than the spelling talent for which she’s generated widespread media coverage over the years (Kao competed at Scripps as a fifth-, sixth- and seventh-grader).

Next year, she’ll attend Mira Loma High’s International Baccalaureate program in Sacramento, where she says “I don’t want people to think that’s who I am – my whole life.”

Indeed, Kao continued to study the harp and piano and practice her synchronized ice-skating right up to competition time.

But she understands the hold of spelling bees on the popular imagination, and despite the focus on her competitions, it’s clear she enjoys the discussion.

“At every spelling bee, there’s something new,” she said. “It’s not rehearsed; it’s like reality TV but in a different setting. There’s a lot of drama. People get sad.”

Her younger brother Wesley, 12, is also interested in competing in spelling bees.

“I don’t know – he could be better than me,” Josephine Kao said.