Expressing "in the end" with "daodi"

到底 (dàodǐ) literally means "to the bottom", and often is used where the speaker wants to get to the bottom of a problem or issue, emphasizing or questioning what the real reason for something is.

到底 as 毕竟 or "in the end"

It is often used like 毕竟, to mean "after all" or "in the end". When used in this way, 到底 is used to emphasize a reason or characteristic the speaker considers to be most important.

For example:

• 他 到底 是 个 大 老板，出手 很 大方。
• 他 到底 是 个 高手，你 很 难 跟 他 比! (He is after all pretty amazing, you'll be hard pressed to match him)

When used in this way, 到底 is often used in the following structure:

虽然 + A + 但 + 到底 + B + C

In this structure, A and B are reasons or characteristics, and C is a result or conclusion.

Here are some examples:

• 虽然 小 狼 看起来 可爱，但 到底 是 野生 动物，跟 它 打交道 时 一定 要 保持 警惕。
• 虽然 他 做错 了 事情，但是 他 到底 还是 个 小孩儿，你 就 别 打 他 了。

到底 as 究竟 or "on earth"

到底 can be used to mean "on earth", where it is used to emphasize a question. In this sense, 到底 is similar to 究竟.

• 你 到底 怎么 了？（What on earth is up with you?)
• 到底 怎么 走？(How on earth do we get there?)
• 内奸 到底 是 谁？(Who on earth is the mole?)
• 你最低价 到底 是 多少？我 不 想 跟 你 讲价! (Come on, give me your lowest price, I'm not in the mood for haggling)

Note that 到底 cannot appear in an answer to a question. Also, 吗 cannot appear in a question formed with 到底. 没有 can be used instead, as in the following example:

• 你到底吃了没有？
• 你到底吃了吗？

Sources and further reading

Books

• Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 127-33) →buy
• Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 2 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇) (pp.183-5) →buy