Difference between revisions of "Expressing "until" with "dao""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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One of the cool features of Chinese is [[complements]], and in this article we introduce a few of them.  
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One kind of [[complement]] in Chinese involves putting 到 (dào) after the verb, followed by a time or other event. This 到 works much like the English word "[[until]]."
  
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== Structure ==
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== Basic Pattern ==
  
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One kind of [[complement]] in Chinese involves putting 到, 给 or 在 after the verb. These are used to indicate direction, target and location, respectively.
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=== Structure ===
  
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* 到 (dào) indicates that the action has obtained a goal or a certain state. Any verb that uses the complement [[Result complements "dao" and "jian"| 见]] can also use 到.
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<div class="jiegou">
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(一直 +) Verb + 到 + Time / Event
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</div>
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You will sometimes see 一直 (yīzhí) proceeding 到, which serves the purpose of the emphasis on the "ongoing duration."
  
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* 给 (gěi) indicates that you have passed something from one person to another.
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Note that the verbs are mostly single-syllable.
  
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* 在 (zài) indicates a person or thing coming to a certain place. It is usually followed my a location or a place.
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=== Examples ===
  
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<div class="jiegou">
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<div class="liju">
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*你们 要 玩 <em>到</em> 几 点 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen yào wán <em>dào</em> jǐ diǎn?</span><span class="trans">When will you be done playing?</span>
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*我们 在 酒吧 <strong>一直</strong> 聊 <em>到</em> 半夜 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài jiǔbā <strong>yīzhí</strong> liáo <em>dào</em> bànyè.</span><span class="trans">We were chatting in the bar until midnight.</span>
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*你 弟弟 要 在 我们 家 住 <em>到</em> 什么 时候 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ dìdi yào zài wǒmen jiā zhù <em>dào</em> shénme shíhou?</span><span class="trans">Your younger brother is going to stay in our house until when?</span>
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*昨天 的 会 <strong>一直</strong> 开 <em>到</em> 晚上 九点 。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān de huì <strong>yīzhí</strong> kāi <em>dào</em> wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn.</span><span class="trans">Yesterday's meeting lasted until 9 pm.</span>
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*我 邻居 今天 吵架 了 ，<strong>一直</strong> 吵 <em>到</em> 警察 过来 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ línjū jīntiān chǎojià le, <strong>yīzhí</strong> chǎo <em>dào</em> jǐngchá guòlái.</span><span class="trans">My neighbors had a fight today, which lasted until the police came.</span>
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*我们 晚上 去 吃火锅 了 ，<strong>一直</strong> 吃 <em>到</em> 火锅店 关门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen wǎnshang qù chī huǒguō le, <strong>yīzhí</strong> chī <em>dào</em> huǒguō diàn guānmén.</span><span class="trans">We went to eat hotpot tonight, and we didn't finish until the place was closed.</span>
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*他 昨天 一天 都 在 打游戏 ，<strong>一直</strong> 打 <em>到</em> 他 妈妈 回家 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zuótiān yī tiān dōu zài dǎ yóuxì, <strong>yīzhí</strong> dǎ <em>dào</em> tā māma huí jiā.</span><span class="trans">He was playing computer games all day yesterday. He didn't stop until his mother came home.</span>
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</div>
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== Pattern with Repeating Verb ==
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=== Structure ===
  
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Subject + Verb + 到 / 给 / 在 ...
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If there is a verb phrase proceeding 到, use this structure:
  
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<div class="jiegou">
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[Verb Phrase] (+ 一直) + Verb + 到 + Time / Event
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Examples ==
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Note that in this pattern, the verb is going to repeat.
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 我 昨天晚上 工作 <strong>到</strong> <em>十二点半</em>。<span class="trans">I worked until 12:30 last night.</span>
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*你 知 不 知道 我们 <strong>等 你</strong> 等 <em>到</em> 半夜 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhī bu zhīdào wǒmen <strong>děng nǐ</strong> děng <em>dào</em> bànyè?</span><span class="trans">Do you know we waited for you until midnight?</span>
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* 请 你 坐 <strong>在</strong> <em>我 旁 边儿</em>。<span class="trans">Please come and sit next to me.</span>
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*我 女儿 昨天 晚上 <strong>写作业</strong> 写 <em>到</em> 十二 点 半 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚ'ér zuótiān wǎnshang <strong>xiě zuòyè</strong> xiě <em>dào</em> shí'èr diǎn bàn.</span><span class="trans">My daughter didn't finish her homework until 12:30 last night.</span>
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* 我 今天早上 发了 一封 电子邮件 <strong>给</strong> <em>你</em>。<span class="trans">I sent an e-mail to you this morning.</span>
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*她 给 男朋友 <strong>打电话</strong> 打 <em>到</em> 手机 没 电 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi nánpéngyou <strong>dǎ diànhuà</strong> dǎ <em>dào</em> shǒujī méi diàn.</span><span class="trans">She called her boyfriend and they kept talking until her phone was out of battery.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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==See also==
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== See also ==
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*[[Verbs with gei]]
 
*[[Verbs with gei]]
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*[[Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…"]]
 
*[["Zai" following verbs]]
 
*[["Zai" following verbs]]
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*[[To go to a place]]
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*[[Expressing "when" with "dengdao"]]
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*[[Complement]]
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*[[Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 240) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|240}}
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* [[Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册)]] (p.93-95) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B0041UGAJU&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B0041UGAJU →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册)|93-95}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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[[Category:Complements]]
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{{Basic Grammar|到|B1|Verb + 到 + Time / Event|我 昨天 晚上 工作 <em>到</em> 十二 点 半 。|grammar point|ASG1CCAP}}
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{{Basic Grammar|到|B1|V + 到 / 给 / 在⋯⋯|你 可以 坐 <em>在</em> 我 旁边。你 写 的 文章 读 <em>给</em> 我 听。|grammar point|ASG1CCAP}}
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{{Rel char|一直}}
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{{Rel char|给}}
 
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{{Rel char|在}}
 
 
{{Similar|To go to a place}}
 
{{Similar|To go to a place}}
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{{Similar|"Zai" following verbs}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…"}}
 
{{Similar|Verbs with gei}}
 
{{Similar|Verbs with gei}}
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{{Similar|Using "zai" with verbs}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "when" with "dengdao"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing location with "zai...shang/xia/li"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao"}}
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{{Structure|Complements}}
 
 
{{Used for|Expressing result}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing result}}
 
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
 
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
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{{Translation|until}}
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{Subprop|Verb phrases}}

Latest revision as of 00:23, 14 April 2023

Chinese-grammar-wiki-dao.jpg

One kind of complement in Chinese involves putting 到 (dào) after the verb, followed by a time or other event. This 到 works much like the English word "until."

Basic Pattern

Structure

(一直 +) Verb + 到 + Time / Event

You will sometimes see 一直 (yīzhí) proceeding 到, which serves the purpose of the emphasis on the "ongoing duration."

Note that the verbs are mostly single-syllable.

Examples

  • 你们 要 玩 到 几 点 ？Nǐmen yào wán dào jǐ diǎn?When will you be done playing?
  • 我们 在 酒吧 一直 聊 到 半夜 。Wǒmen zài jiǔbā yīzhí liáo dào bànyè.We were chatting in the bar until midnight.
  • 你 弟弟 要 在 我们 家 住 到 什么 时候 ？Nǐ dìdi yào zài wǒmen jiā zhù dào shénme shíhou?Your younger brother is going to stay in our house until when?
  • 昨天 的 会 一直 开 到 晚上 九点 。Zuótiān de huì yīzhí kāi dào wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn.Yesterday's meeting lasted until 9 pm.
  • 我 邻居 今天 吵架 了 ，一直 吵 到 警察 过来 。Wǒ línjū jīntiān chǎojià le, yīzhí chǎo dào jǐngchá guòlái.My neighbors had a fight today, which lasted until the police came.
  • 我们 晚上 去 吃火锅 了 ，一直 吃 到 火锅店 关门 。Wǒmen wǎnshang qù chī huǒguō le, yīzhí chī dào huǒguō diàn guānmén.We went to eat hotpot tonight, and we didn't finish until the place was closed.
  • 他 昨天 一天 都 在 打游戏 ，一直 打 到 他 妈妈 回家 。Tā zuótiān yī tiān dōu zài dǎ yóuxì, yīzhí dǎ dào tā māma huí jiā.He was playing computer games all day yesterday. He didn't stop until his mother came home.

Pattern with Repeating Verb

Structure

If there is a verb phrase proceeding 到, use this structure:

[Verb Phrase] (+ 一直) + Verb + 到 + Time / Event

Note that in this pattern, the verb is going to repeat.

Examples

  • 你 知 不 知道 我们 等 你 等 到 半夜 ？Nǐ zhī bu zhīdào wǒmen děng nǐ děng dào bànyè?Do you know we waited for you until midnight?
  • 我 女儿 昨天 晚上 写作业 写 到 十二 点 半 。Wǒ nǚ'ér zuótiān wǎnshang xiě zuòyè xiě dào shí'èr diǎn bàn.My daughter didn't finish her homework until 12:30 last night.
  • 她 给 男朋友 打电话 打 到 手机 没 电 。Tā gěi nánpéngyou dǎ diànhuà dǎ dào shǒujī méi diàn.She called her boyfriend and they kept talking until her phone was out of battery.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4
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