Chinese learning

Daily learning flow

Back to word library

dào

arrive; to

Usage note

”表示达某个地方或时间,也可以用在动词后表示动作有了结果。

“dào” biǎoshì dàodá mǒu gè dìfāng huò shíjiān, yě kěyǐ yòng zài dòngcí hòu biǎoshì dòngzuò yǒu le jiéguǒ.

“到” means arriving at a place or time, and can also follow a verb to show that an action has achieved a result.

Context note

”这个字常常用在动作里,表示一个人或东西从一个地方去另一个地方,已经达了。它也可以表示动作有了结果。

“dào” zhè ge zì chángcháng yòng zài dòngzuò lǐ, biǎoshì yī gè rén huò dōngxi cóng yī gè dìfang qù lìng yī gè dìfang, yǐjīng dàodále. Tā yě kěyǐ biǎoshì dòngzuò yǒule jiéguǒ.

The word '到' is commonly used in actions to show that someone or something has moved from one place to another and arrived. It can also indicate that an action has reached a result.

5 examples

家了。
Wǒ dào jiā le.
I've arrived home.
图书馆借书。
Tā dào tóng shū guǎn jiè shū.
He went to the library to borrow books.
现在吃饭时间了。
Xià zhōu dào chī fàn shí jiān le.
It's time to eat now.
妈妈超市买菜。
Mā ma dào shū cài mǎi cài.
Mom went to the supermarket to buy vegetables.
我们公园玩吧。
Wǒ men dào gōng yuán wán ba.
Let's go play in the park.

5 mini stories

小明了学校,见老师很高兴。
Xiǎo míng dào le xué xiào, jià见到 lǎo shī hěn gāo xìng.
Xiaoming arrived at school and was very happy to see the teacher.
妈妈了超市,买了很多水果。
Mā ma dào le shū cài, mǎi le hěn duō shuǐ guǒ.
Mom went to the supermarket and bought a lot of fruits.
爸爸了公园,和朋友一起散步。
Bà ba dào le gōng yuán, hé péng you yī qǐ sàn bù.
Dad arrived at the park and took a walk with his friends.
姐姐了图书馆,开始看书。
Jiě jiě dào le tóng shū guǎn, kāi始 bānguàn kàn shū.
Sister arrived at the library and started reading books.
爷爷了公园,和孙子一起玩。
Lǎo yé dào le gōng yuán, hé sūn zǐ yī qǐ wán.
Grandpa arrived at the park and played with his grandson.

Mini dialogue

快到了

A
我们了吗?
Wǒmen dào le ma?
Have we arrived?
B
了,还有五分钟。
Kuài dào le, hái yǒu wǔ fēnzhōng.
Almost there, five more minutes.

从家到学校

A
从你家学校远吗?
Cóng nǐ jiā dào xuéxiào yuǎn ma?
Is it far from your home to the school?
B
不远,走路十分钟就
Bù yuǎn, zǒulù shí fēnzhōng jiù dào.
Not far, it's a ten-minute walk to arrive.

Related words and contrasts

contrast
to go

Focuses on the action of going, while 到 focuses on arriving.

similar
到达
dàodá
to arrive (formal)

A more formal way to say arrive.

Explore more words