Expressing "until" with "dao"

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 + 到 + A Certain Time Point

Examples

• 我 昨天 晚上 工作 到 十二 点 半。Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang gōngzuò dào shí'èr diǎn bàn.I worked until 12:30 last night.
• 我们 一直 等 到 天黑 。 Wǒmen yīzhí děng dào tiānhēi.We waited until it was getting dark.
• 他们 想 在 这里 住 到 春天 。 Tāmen xiǎng zài zhèlǐ zhù dào chūntiān.They want to live here until it's spring.
• 你们 要 玩 到 什么 时候 ？Nǐmen yào wán dào shénme shíhou? When will you be done playing?
• 爸爸 看电视 看 到 半夜 。Bàba kàn diànshì dào bànyè.My dad watched TV until midnight.
• 我们 吃 火锅 吃 到 火锅店 关门 。Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī dào huǒguōdiàn guānmén.We ate hotpot until the hotpot place was closed.
• 我们 部门 从 八点 开始 开会，一直 开 到 中午 。Wǒmen bùmén cóng bā diǎn kāishǐ kāihuì, yīzhí kāi dào zhōngwǔ.We had a department meeting from 8am to noon.
• 她 给 她 妈妈 打 电话 一直 打 到 手机 没 电 。Tā gěi tā māma dǎ diànhuà yīzhí dǎ dào shǒujī méi diàn.She called her mom until her phone was dead.
• 周五 晚上 我 跟 同事 去 KTV ，我们 一直 唱 到 第二天 早上 五点 。Zhōuwǔ wǎnshang wǒ gēn tóngshì qù KTV, wǒmen yīzhí chàng dào dìèr tiān zǎoshang wǔ diǎn.I went to the KTV Friday evening with my coworker. We sang until 5 o'clock the next morning.

See also

• Verbs with gei
• "Zai" following verbs
• To go to a place
• Complement

Sources and further reading

Books

• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 240) →buy
• Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (p.93-95) →buy

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