Difference between revisions of "Expressing "until" with "dao""
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One kind of [[complement]] in Chinese involves putting 到 after the verb. 到 (dào) is used to indicate that the action has obtained a goal or a certain state.  
 
One kind of [[complement]] in Chinese involves putting 到 after the verb. 到 (dào) is used to indicate that the action has obtained a goal or a certain state.  
  
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== Used with Single Verb ==
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== Structure ==
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=== Structure ===
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Note that the verbs are mostly single-syllable verb.
 
Note that the verbs are mostly single-syllable verb.
  
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=== Examples ===
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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*我们 <strong>一直</strong> 等 <em>到</em> 天黑 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <strong>yīzhí</strong> děng <em>dào</em> tiān hēi.</span><span class="trans">We waited until it was getting dark.</span>
 
 
*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>
 
*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>
 
*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>
 
*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>
 
*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">How much longer is your younger brother going to stay in our house?</span>
 
*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">How much longer is your younger brother going to stay in our house?</span>
 
*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>
 
*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 吃 <em>到</em> 火锅店 关门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī  <em>dào</em> huǒguōdiàn guānmén.</span><span class="trans">We were eating hotpot and we didn't finish until the place was closed.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Used with Verb-Obj. ==
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If the is a verb phrase before 到, use this structure:
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=== Structure ===
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Verb + Obj. (+ 一直) + Verb + 到 + Time / Event
+
[Verb Phrase] (+ 一直) + Verb + 到 + Time / Event
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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*他 打游戏 <strong>一直</strong> 打 <em>到</em> 他 妈妈 回家 。<span class="pinyin">Tā dǎ yóuxì <strong>yīzhí</strong> dǎ <em>dào</em> tā māma huí jiā.</span><span class="trans">He didn't stop playing computer games until his mother came home.</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 děng <em>dào</em> bànyè?</span><span class="trans">Do you know we waited for you until midnight?</span>
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*我 邻居 吵架 <strong>一直</strong> 吵 <em>到</em> 警察 过来 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ línjū chǎojià <strong>yīzhí</strong> chǎo <em>dào</em> jǐngchá guòlái.</span><span class="trans">My neighbors didn't end their fight until the police came.</span>
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*他 打游戏 打 <em>到</em> 他 妈妈 回家 。<span class="pinyin">Tā dǎ yóuxì <strong>yīzhí</strong> dǎ <em>dào</em> tā māma huí jiā.</span><span class="trans">He didn't stop playing computer games until his mother came home.</span>
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*我们 吃 火锅 吃 <em>到</em> 火锅店 关门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī  <em>dào</em> huǒguōdiàn guānmén.</span><span class="trans">We were eating hotpot and we didn't finish until the place was closed.</span>
 
 
*我 女儿 昨天 晚上 写作业 写 <em>到</em> 十二 点 半 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚ'ér zuótiān wǎnshang xiě zuòyè 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>
 
*我 女儿 昨天 晚上 写作业 写 <em>到</em> 十二 点 半 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚ'ér zuótiān wǎnshang xiě zuòyè 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>
 
*她 给 男朋友 打 电话 <strong>一直</strong> 打 <em>到</em> 手机 没 电 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi nánpéngyou dǎ diànhuà <strong>yīzhí</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>
 
*她 给 男朋友 打 电话 <strong>一直</strong> 打 <em>到</em> 手机 没 电 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi nánpéngyou dǎ diànhuà <strong>yīzhí</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>
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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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|Verb + 到 + Time / Event|我 昨天 晚上 工作 <em>到</em> 十二 点 半 。|grammar point|ASG1CCAP}}
 
{{Rel char|一直}}
 
{{Rel char|一直}}
 
{{Similar|To go to a place}}
 
{{Similar|To go to a place}}

Revision as of 04:56, 22 February 2018

Chinese-grammar-wiki-dao.jpg

One kind of complement in Chinese involves putting 到 after the verb. 到 (dào) is used to indicate that the action has obtained a goal or a certain state.

Structure

Verb (+ 一直) + 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 verb.

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?How much longer is your younger brother going to stay in our house?
  • 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 吃 到 火锅店 关门 。Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī dào huǒguōdiàn guānmén.We were eating hotpot and we didn't finish until the place was closed.

If the is a verb phrase before 到, use this structure:

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

Examples

  • 你 知不知道 我们 等 你 等 到 半夜 ？Nǐ zhī bu zhīdào wǒmen děng dào bànyè?Do you know we waited for you until midnight?
  • 他 打游戏 打 到 他 妈妈 回家 。Tā dǎ yóuxì yīzhí dǎ dào tā māma huí jiā.He didn't stop playing computer games until his mother came home.
  • 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 一直 打 到 手机 没 电 。Tā gěi nánpéngyou dǎ diànhuà yīzhí 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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