Expressing "until" with "dao"
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
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."
Contents
Basic Pattern
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.
Examples
- 你们 要 玩 到 几 点 ？When will you be done playing?
- 我们 在 酒吧 一直 聊 到 半夜 。We were chatting in the bar until midnight.
- 你 弟弟 要 在 我们 家 住 到 什么 时候 ？Your younger brother is going to stay in our house until when?
- 昨天 的 会 一直 开 到 晚上 九点 。Yesterday's meeting lasted until 9 pm.
- 我 邻居 今天 吵架 了 ，一直 吵 到 警察 过来 。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 。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 。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 ？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 。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 。She called her boyfriend and they kept talking until her phone was out of battery.
See also
- Verbs with gei
- Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…"
- "Zai" following verbs
- Expressing "when" with "dengdao"
- Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao"
