Difference between revisions of "Expressing "less than" with "budao""

 
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The word 到 (dào) means "arrive," but it can also mean "to reach" or "to get to" in an abstract sense. So in this pattern, 不到 (bùdào) means "to not reach (the amount of)," or, to put it another way, "to be less than."
  
 
== Basic Pattern ==
 
== Basic Pattern ==
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 不到 + Number + Measure Word (+ Noun)
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Subj. + 不到 + Number + [Measure Word] + Noun
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*我 女儿 <em>不到</em> 三 岁 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚ’ér hái <em>bùdào</em> sān suì.</span><span class="trans">My daughter is still less than three years old.</span>
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*我 女儿 <em>不到</em> 三 岁 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚ'ér <em>bùdào</em> sān suì.</span><span class="trans">My daughter is not yet three years old.</span>
*我 昨天 睡 了 <em>不到</em> 五 个 小时 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuótiān shuì le <em>bùdào</em> wǔ gè xiǎoshí.</span><span class="trans"> Yesterday I slept for less than five hours.</span>
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*我 昨天 睡 了 <em>不到</em> 五 个 小时 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuótiān shuì le <em>bùdào</em> wǔ gè xiǎoshí.</span><span class="trans"> Yesterday I slept for almost five hours.</span>
*这 件 衣服 花 了 <em>不到</em> 一 百 块 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu huā le <em>bùdào</em> yī bǎi kuài.</span><span class="trans">This piece of clothing costs less than 100 RMB.</span>
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*这 件 衣服 花 了 <em>不到</em> 一 百 块 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu huā le <em>bùdào</em> yī bǎi kuài.</span><span class="trans">On this piece of clothing I spent less than 100 RMB.</span>
*我 家 到 公司 <em>不到</em> 五 百 米 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā dào gōngsī <em>bùdào</em> wǔ bǎi mǐ.</span><span class="trans">It is less than 500 meters from my house to the company.</span>
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*我 家 到 公司 <em>不到</em> 五 百 米 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā dào gōngsī <em>bùdào</em> wǔ bǎi mǐ.</span><span class="trans">My house is less than 500 meters from the office.</span>
*在 美国 ,<em>不到</em> 21 岁 不 能 喝酒 。<span class="pinyin">Zài Měiguó, <em>bùdào</em> èrshí-yī suì, bù néng hē jiǔ.</span><span class="trans">In America, people under 21 cannot drink alcohol.</span>
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*在 美国 ,<em>不到</em> 21 岁 不 能 喝酒 。<span class="pinyin">Zài Měiguó, <em>bùdào</em> èrshí-yī suì, bù néng hējiǔ.</span><span class="trans">In the US, if you're under 21 you can't drink alcohol.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Pattern with 就 ==
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== Advanced Pattern ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
"不到"放在一个时间点或者时间段前,后面跟""连用,表示某事发生得比一般情况要早。
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When 不到 (bùdào) is put before a time or a duration of time, it needs to be followed with (jiù). This shows that something (usually referring to the past) has happened earlier than expected.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 不到 + Time Word + 就 + Verb + 了
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Subj. + 不到 + Time + 就 + Predicate + 了
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*他们 认识 <em>不到</em> 两 个 月 <em>就</em> 结婚 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen rènshi <em>bùdào</em> liǎng yuè <em>jiù</em> jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">They've known each other for less than two months and are already married.</span>
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*她 的 病 <em>不到</em> 一个 星期 <strong>就</strong> 好 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā de bìng <em>bùdào</em> xīngqī <strong>jiù</strong> hǎo <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Her sickness got better in less than a week.</span>
*李 医生 <em>不到</em> 55 岁 <em>就</em> 退休 了 。<span class="pinyin">Lǐ yīshēng <em>bùdào</em> wǔshí-wǔ suì<em>jiù</em> tuìxiū le.</span><span class="trans">Dr. Li is less than 55 years old and he already retired.</span>
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*他们 认识 <em>不到</em> 两 个 月 <strong>就</strong> 结婚 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen rènshi <em>bùdào</em> liǎng gè yuè <strong>jiù</strong> jiéhūn <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">After knowing each other for less than two months they got married.</span>
*爷爷 <em>不到</em> 60 岁 <em>就</em> 去世 了。<span class="pinyin">Yéye <em>bùdào</em> liùshí suì <em>jiù</em> qùshì le.</span><span class="trans">My grandpa was less than 60 years old when he died.</span>
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*李 医生 <em>不到</em> 55 岁 <strong>就</strong> 退休 <strong>了</strong> <span class="pinyin">Lǐ yīshēng <em>bùdào</em> wǔshí-wǔ suì <strong>jiù</strong> tuìxiū <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Dr. Li retired at under the age of 55.</span>
*你 在家 住 了 <em>不到</em> 一 个 星期 <em>就</em> 要 走 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zài jiā zhù le <em>bùdào</em> yī gè xīngqī <em>jiù</em> yào zǒu?</span><span class="trans">You stayed at home for less than a week and you're leaving? So soon?</span>
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*爷爷 <em>不到</em> 60 岁 <strong>就</strong> 去世 <strong>了</strong> <span class="pinyin">Yéye <em>bùdào</em> liùshí suì <strong>jiù</strong> qùshì <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My grandpa was less than 60 years old when he died.</span>
*老板 <em>不到</em> 30 岁 <em>就</em> 有 白 头发 了 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>bùdào</em> sānshí suì <em>jiù</em> yǒu bái tóufa le.</span><span class="trans">My boss is less than 30 years old and already has white hair showing on his head.</span>
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*老板 <em>不到</em> 30 岁 <strong>就</strong> 有 白 头发 <strong></strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>bùdào</em> sānshí suì <strong>jiù</strong> yǒu bái tóufa <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My boss is less than 30 years old and already has some gray hair.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== See Also ==
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For other similar uses of 就, see also [[expressing earliness with "jiu"|expressing earliness with "jiu."]]
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== See also ==
  
 
*[[Emphasizing quantity with "dou"]]
 
*[[Emphasizing quantity with "dou"]]
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*[[Indicating the whole with "quan"]]
 
*[[Indicating the whole with "quan"]]
  
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== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
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[[Category:Comparing]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|不到|B1|不到 + Number + Measure Word(+ Noun)|我 女儿 <em>不到</em> 三 岁 。|grammar point|ASG10CAE}}
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{{HSK|HSK0}}
{{Used for|Expressing quantity}}
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{{Basic Grammar|不到|B1|不到 + Number + Measure Word + Noun|我 女儿 <em>不到</em> 三 岁 。|grammar point|ASG10CAE}}
 
{{Similar|Referring to "all" using "suoyou"}}
 
{{Similar|Referring to "all" using "suoyou"}}
 
{{Similar|Indicating a number in excess}}
 
{{Similar|Indicating a number in excess}}
 
{{Similar|Indicating the whole with "quan"}}
 
{{Similar|Indicating the whole with "quan"}}
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{{Used for|Expressing quantity}}
 
{{POS|Prepositions}}
 
{{POS|Prepositions}}
 
{{Translation|less than}}
 
{{Translation|less than}}

Latest revision as of 08:43, 24 April 2019

The word 到 (dào) means "arrive," but it can also mean "to reach" or "to get to" in an abstract sense. So in this pattern, 不到 (bùdào) means "to not reach (the amount of)," or, to put it another way, "to be less than."

Basic Pattern

Structure

Subj. + 不到 + Number + [Measure Word] + Noun

Examples

  • 我 女儿 不到 三 岁 。Wǒ nǚ'ér bùdào sān suì.My daughter is not yet three years old.
  • 我 昨天 睡 了 不到 五 个 小时 。Wǒ zuótiān shuì le bùdào wǔ gè xiǎoshí. Yesterday I slept for almost five hours.
  • 这 件 衣服 花 了 不到 一 百 块 。Zhè jiàn yīfu huā le bùdào yī bǎi kuài.On this piece of clothing I spent less than 100 RMB.
  • 我 家 到 公司 不到 五 百 米 。Wǒ jiā dào gōngsī bùdào wǔ bǎi mǐ.My house is less than 500 meters from the office.
  • 在 美国 ,不到 21 岁 不 能 喝酒 。Zài Měiguó, bùdào èrshí-yī suì, bù néng hējiǔ.In the US, if you're under 21 you can't drink alcohol.

Advanced Pattern

Structure

When 不到 (bùdào) is put before a time or a duration of time, it needs to be followed with 就 (jiù). This shows that something (usually referring to the past) has happened earlier than expected.

Subj. + 不到 + Time + 就 + Predicate + 了

Examples

  • 她 的 病 不到 一个 星期 Tā de bìng bùdào yī gè xīngqī jiù hǎo le.Her sickness got better in less than a week.
  • 他们 认识 不到 两 个 月 结婚 Tāmen rènshi bùdào liǎng gè yuè jiù jiéhūn le.After knowing each other for less than two months they got married.
  • 李 医生 不到 55 岁 退休 Lǐ yīshēng bùdào wǔshí-wǔ suì jiù tuìxiū le.Dr. Li retired at under the age of 55.
  • 爷爷 不到 60 岁 去世 Yéye bùdào liùshí suì jiù qùshì le.My grandpa was less than 60 years old when he died.
  • 老板 不到 30 岁 有 白 头发 Lǎobǎn bùdào sānshí suì jiù yǒu bái tóufa le.My boss is less than 30 years old and already has some gray hair.

For other similar uses of 就, see also expressing earliness with "jiu."

See also

Sources and further reading

Books