Difference between revisions of "Expressing "in the end" with "daodi""

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* <em>到底</em> 是 个 大 老板,出手 大方 。 <span class="expl">"He is a high-level boss, after all...")</span>
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*<em>到底</em> 是 个 大 老板,出手 就是 大方 。 <span class="expl">"He is a high-level boss, after all...")</span>
* 他 <em>到底</em> 是 个 高手,你 难 跟 他 比 !  <span class="expl">"He is a master, after all...")</span>
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*<em>到底</em> 是 个 高手,这么 快 就 把 问题 解决 了!<span class="expl">"He is a master, after all...")</span>
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*他 <em>到底</em> 还 是 孩子,有些 事情 他 不 懂 是 很 正常 的。<span class="expl">"He is a kid, after all...")</span>
 
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Revision as of 08:17, 17 November 2016

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.

Structure 1

到底 + Reason / Characteristic

Examples

  • 到底 是 个 大 老板,出手 就是 大方 。 "He is a high-level boss, after all...")
  • 到底 是 个 高手,这么 快 就 把 问题 解决 了!"He is a master, after all...")
  • 到底 还 是 孩子,有些 事情 他 不 懂 是 很 正常 的。"He is a kid, after all...")

Structure 2

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. For this one, although it's possible to use 到底, 毕竟 is definitely the more common choice, so for examples of this usage, see expressing "after all" with "bijing".

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.

Structure

到底 + Question Phrase

Examples

  • 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 but 没有 can be used instead:

  • 你 到底 吃 了 没有 ?
  • 你 到底 吃 了 吗 ?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books