Definition
到 (dào) means 'to arrive at, to reach' — it emphasizes the result of getting to a place or time. 去 (qù) means 'to go' (the journey), while 到 focuses on reaching the destination (到学校 = arrive at school vs 去学校 = go to school). 到 also acts as a complement after verbs (看到, 想到) to show an action's result.
verb
to arrive atto reach (a place or time)(verb complement) used after a verb to indicate reaching a placetimeor result
Easily confused
- 致zhìlook-aliketo send (a message, telegram, etc.)
- 倒dǎosound-aliketo fall, to topple (physically)
- 室shìlook-alikeroom (often as a suffix in compound words)
- 道dàosound-alike(noun) road, path; principle, morality; method, skill; the Dao (of Daoism)
- 倒dǎolook-alike(verb) to fall, to topple over
- 岛dǎosound-alikeisland
- 刀dāosound-alikeknife; blade
- 盗dàosound-aliketo steal, to rob, to plunder (formal; often used in compounds)
Examples
- 到。Wǒ dào xuéxiào le.I arrived at school.
- 到。Wǒ xué dào wǎnshang.I study until evening.
- 。Wǒ kàn dào le tā.I saw him.
Grammar
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