Difference between revisions of "Tricky uses of "dao""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}
 
{{Grammar Box}}
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You probably learned the [[result complement]] -到 a long time ago, as part of words like 看到 ("to see") and 听到 ("to hear"). But other times it's less clear what the -到 really means. Like the difference between 买 and 买到 or 做 and 做到. What -到 adds is a clearer message that ''something has really been achieved''.
  
You probably learned the [[result complement]] 到 a long time ago, as part of words like 看到 ("to see") and 听到 ("to hear"). But other times it's less clear what the really means. Like the difference between 买 and 买到 or 做 and 做到. What 到 adds is a clearer sense that something has really been achieved.
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== The Difference a -Makes ==
  
== The difference 到 makes ==
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Adding -到 after a verb makes it very clear that the desired result was achieved. If you looked and you saw, then 到 indicates that. On the other hand, not adding 到 makes it unclear whether or not the desired result was achieved. It can have the effect of making a verb mean "try to ''verb''."  So 做 without -到 is kind of like "try to do," but when you want to make it very clear that results ''were achieved'' or ''must be achieved'', that's when you want to add -到.  
 
 
Adding 到 after a verb makes it very clear that the desired result was achieved. If you looked and you saw, then 到 indicates that. On the other hand, not adding 到 makes it unclear whether or not the desired result was achieved. It can have the effect of making a verb mean "try to ''verb''."  So 做 without 到 is kind of like "try to do," but when you want to make it very clear that results ''were achieved'' or ''must be achieved'', that's when you want to add 到.  
 
  
 
Let's look at another example. The difference between 找 and 找到 is that 找 means "to search" (in other words, "to ''try'' to find"), whereas 找到 means "to ''find''," that the search was successful, and results were achieved. So if one were to say "你一定要找," it would mean "you must try to find it" and "你一定要找到" means "you must ''find'' it."
 
Let's look at another example. The difference between 找 and 找到 is that 找 means "to search" (in other words, "to ''try'' to find"), whereas 找到 means "to ''find''," that the search was successful, and results were achieved. So if one were to say "你一定要找," it would mean "you must try to find it" and "你一定要找到" means "you must ''find'' it."
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=== 做 vs. 做到 ===
 
=== 做 vs. 做到 ===
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 +
It's often assumed that if you're going to 做 something, it'll be to completion. But if there's ever any doubt, or a situation where "to completion" needs to be made crystal clear, use 做到.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 我 还 没有 做。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ hái méiyǒu zuò.</span><span class="trans"> I haven‘t done it.</span>
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* 我 还 没有 <strong>做</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ hái méiyǒu <strong>zuò</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I haven‘t done it.</span>
* 我 下 个 星期 可以 做。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xià gè xīngqī kěyǐ zuò.</span><span class="trans"> I can do it next week.</span>
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* 我 下 个 星期 可以 <strong>做</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xià gè xīngqī kěyǐ <strong>zuò</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I can do it next week.</span>
* 我 相信 你 一定 能 做<em>到</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiāngxìn nǐ yīdìng néng zuò<em>dào</em>.</span><span class="trans"> I believe you will be able to do it.</span>  
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* 我 相信 你 一定 能 <strong></strong><em>到</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiāngxìn nǐ yīdìng néng <strong>zuò</strong><em>dào</em>.</span><span class="trans">I believe you will be able to do it.</span>  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
=== 买 vs. 买到 ===
 
=== 买 vs. 买到 ===
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 +
买 is another one where success is normally assumed, but every now and then it's not so easy to just buy something. That's where 买到 comes in handy.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*我 还 没有 买。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ hái méiyǒu mǎi.</span><span class="trans"> I haven't bought it yet.</span>
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*我 还 没有 <strong>买</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ hái méiyǒu <strong>mǎi</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I haven't bought it yet.</span>
*我 没 买<em>到</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi mǎi<em>dào</em>.</span><span class="trans"> I didn't buy it.</span>
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*我 没 <strong></strong><em>到</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi <strong>mǎi</strong><em>dào</em>.</span><span class="trans">I wasn't able to buy it.</span>
*这里 很 难 买<em>到</em> 进口 食品。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ hěn nán mǎi<em>dào</em> jìnkǒu shípǐn.</span><span class="trans"> It's hard to buy imported good here.</span>
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*这里 <strong></strong> <em>到</em> 进口 食品 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ <strong>mǎi</strong><em>bu dào</em> jìnkǒu shípǐn.</span><span class="trans">You can't buy imported good here.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
=== 学 vs. 学到 ===
 
=== 学 vs. 学到 ===
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 +
You know how when you're studying, you know information is going into your brain, but you're not sure how well it's really sticking? Well, when you're sure of what's stuck, you can use 学到.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*我 想 学 中文。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng xué Zhōngwén.</span><span class="trans"> I want to learn Chinese.</span>
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*我 想 <strong></strong> 中文 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <strong>xué</strong> Zhōngwén.</span><span class="trans">I want to study Chinese.</span>
*我们 今天 学 了 “恭喜发财”。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen jīntiān xué le “gōngxǐ fācái”.</span><span class="trans"> Today we learned "kung hei fat choy." </span>
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*我们 今天 <strong></strong> 很 多 生词 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen jīntiān <strong>xué</strong> le hěn duō shēngcí.</span><span class="trans">Today we studied many new words.</span>
*在 这个 公司 工作,我 学<em>到</em> 了 很 多 东西。<span class="pinyin">Zài zhège gōngsī gōngzuò, wǒ xué<em>dào</em> le hěn duō dōngxi.</span><span class="trans"> Working for this company, I learned a lot of things.</span>
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*在 这个 公司 工作 ,我 <strong></strong><em>到</em> 了 很 多 东西。<span class="pinyin">Zài zhège gōngsī gōngzuò, wǒ <strong>xué</strong><em>dào</em> le hěn duō dōngxi.</span><span class="trans">Working for this company, I learned a lot of things.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
=== 拿 vs. 拿到 ===
 
=== 拿 vs. 拿到 ===
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 +
A simple act of physically picking something up or taking something usually involves 拿. When the object becomes some kind of hard-to-get document, however, 拿到 is useful.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*你 拿 小包,我 大包。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ ná xiǎo bāo, wǒ ná dà bāo.</span><span class="trans"> You take the small bag, I'll take the big bag.</span>
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*你 <strong></strong> 小包 ,我 <strong></strong> 大包 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong></strong> xiǎo bāo, wǒ <strong></strong> dà bāo.</span><span class="trans">You take the small bag, I'll take the big bag.</span>
*今天 去 拿 婚纱,不 知道 能 不 能 拿<em>到</em>。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān qù ná hūnshā, bù zhīdào néng bu néng ná<em>dào</em>.</span><span class="trans">Today I'm going to pick up the wedding dress, not sure if I'll be able to get it or not.</span>
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*知道 什么 时候 <strong></strong><em>到</em> 我 的 工作 签证 。<span class="pinyin">zhīdào shénme shíhou néng <strong></strong><em>dào</em> wǒ de gōngzuò qiānzhèng.</span><span class="trans">I'm not sure when I'll be able to get my work visa.</span>
*他 偷偷 进 了 她 的 房间,拿<em>到</em> 想要 的 东西。<span class="pinyin">Tā tōutōu jìn le de fángjiān, ná<em>dào</em> le xiǎngyào de dōngxi.</span><span class="trans"> He secretly entered her room and got the thing he wanted to take.</span>
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*如果 <strong>拿</strong> <em>到</em> 绿卡 ,我 就 跟 分手 。<span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ tā ná <em>bu dào</em> lǜkǎ, wǒ jiù gēn fēnshǒu.</span><span class="trans">If he can't get a green card, I will break up with him.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
=== 想 vs. 想到 ===
 
=== 想 vs. 想到 ===
  
<div class="liju">
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If you think of 想 as "looking for ideas," then and 想到 are very similar to 找 and 找到. One difference, though, is that 没想到 means "never imagined." It's not that you tried to think of something and failed, it's just that the idea never occurred to you.
*一定 要 想 一  个办法。<span class="pinyin">Yīdìng yào xiǎng yī gè bànfǎ.</span><span class="trans"> You have to think of a method.</span>
 
*你 <em>到</em> 了 什么好办法?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng<em>dào</em> le shénme hǎo bànfǎ?</span><span class="trans">Have you thought of any good methods yet? </span>
 
*我们 都 没 <em>到</em> 他 会 这么 说。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu méi xiǎng<em>dào</em> tā huì zhème shuō.</span><span class="trans">None of us thought that he would say it like that.</span>
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== 看 vs. 看到 ===
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*我 在 看 一些 老 照片 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài kàn yīxiē lǎo zhàopiàn.</span><span class="trans"> I'm looking at some old photos.</span>
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*一定 要 <strong>想</strong> 一  个办法 。<span class="pinyin">Yīdìng yào <strong>xiǎng</strong> yī gè bànfǎ.</span><span class="trans">You have to think of a way.</span>
*<em></em> 这 张 照片,我 想<em>到</em> 了 我 的 女儿 。<span class="pinyin">Kàn<em>dào</em> zhè zhāng zhàopiàn, wǒ xiǎng<em>dào</em> le wǒ de nǚ'ér.</span><span class="trans"> After seeing this photo, I thought of my daughter.</span>
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*<strong></strong><em>到</em> 了 什么 好 办法 ?<span class="pinyin"><strong>xiǎng</strong><em>dào</em> le shénme hǎo bànfǎ?</span><span class="trans">Have you thought of anything good yet?</span>
*我 看<em>到</em> 他 了,在 那里 !<span class="pinyin">Wǒ kàn<em>dào</em> tā le, zài nàlǐ!</span><span class="trans"> I see him, over there!</span>
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*我们 都 没 <strong>想</strong><em>到</em> 他 这么 生气 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu méi <strong>xiǎng</strong><em>dào</em> tā zhème shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">None of us imagined that he would be so mad.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
=== 追 vs. 追到 ===
 
=== 追 vs. 追到 ===
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 +
This one is tricky, because "pursue" is a metaphor, and there's no obvious result. "Catch" sounds way too misogynistic and old-fashioned. 追到 actually involves more than just effort on the part of the pursuer; you have to move the girl's (or guy's) heart.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*怎么 追 女孩子 ?<span class="pinyin">Zěnme zhuī nǚ háizi?</span><span class="trans"> How do you chase girls? </span>
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*怎么 <strong></strong> 女孩子 ?<span class="pinyin">Zěnme <strong>zhuī</strong> nǚ háizi?</span><span class="trans">How do you pursue a  girl?</span>
*那 个 女孩子 ,你 追<em>到</em>了吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nàge nǚháizi, nǐ zhuī<em>dào</em> le ma?</span><span class="trans"> That girl, did you catch her yet? </span>
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*那 个 女孩子 ,你 <strong></strong><em>到</em>了吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nàge nǚháizi, nǐ <strong>zhuī</strong><em>dào</em> le ma?</span><span class="trans"> That girl, did you win her over yet?</span>
*如果 你 追<em>到</em>她了 ,我 就 请 你 喝酒 。<span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ nǐ zhuī<em>dào</em> tā le, wǒ jiù qǐng nǐ hējiǔ.</span><span class="trans"> If you can really catch her, I'll treat you to a drink.</span>
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*如果 你 <strong></strong><em>到</em> 她 了 ,我 就 请 你 喝酒 。<span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ nǐ <strong>zhuī</strong><em>dào</em> tā le, wǒ jiù qǐng nǐ hējiǔ.</span><span class="trans">If you can really win her over, I'll treat you to drinks.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
=== 了解 vs. 了解到 ===
 
=== 了解 vs. 了解到 ===
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 +
了解 indicates some kind of deep understanding, often one that only comes over a long period of time. But if you suddenly get some new in-depth information, 了解到 may be appropriate.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*我 不 太 了解 这个 人 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù tài liǎojiě zhège rén.</span><span class="trans"> I don't really understand this person.</span>
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*我 不 太 <strong>了解</strong> 这个 人 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù tài <strong>liǎojiě</strong> zhège rén.</span><span class="trans">I don't really know this person well.</span>
*我们 刚刚 了解<em>到</em> 一些 新 的 消息 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gānggāng liǎojiě<em>dào</em> yīxiē xīn de .</span><span class="trans"> We just understood the new information.</span>
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*我们 刚刚 <strong>了解</strong> <em>到</em> 一些 新 的 消息 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gānggāng <strong>liǎojiě</strong> <em>dào</em> yīxiē xīn de xiāoxī.</span><span class="trans">We just acquired some new information.</span>
*从 他 那里,我 了解 <em>到</em> 了 真相 。<span class="pinyin">Cóng tā nàlǐ, wǒ liǎojiě<em>dào</em> le .</span><span class="trans">I learned the truth from him.</span>
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*从 他 那里 ,我 <strong>了解</strong> <em>到</em> 了 真相 。<span class="pinyin">Cóng tā nàlǐ, wǒ <strong>liǎojiě</strong> <em>dào</em> le zhēnxiàng.</span><span class="trans">I learned the real truth of the matter from him.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
=== 联系 vs. 联系到 ===
 
=== 联系 vs. 联系到 ===
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 +
You can think of 联系 as "initiate contact" and 联系到 as "establish contact."
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*我们 怎么 联系 ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zěnme liánxì?</span><span class="trans">How do we get in contact?</span>
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*我们 怎么 <strong>联系</strong> ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zěnme <strong>liánxì</strong>?</span><span class="trans">How do we get in contact?</span>
*你 知道 他 的 联系 方式 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhīdào tā de liánxì fāngshì ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you have his contact information?</span>
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*你 知道 他 的 <strong>联系</strong> 方式 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhīdào tā de <strong>liánxì</strong> fāngshì ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you have his contact information?</span>
*我 想 跟 你 联系 ,但是 一直 联系 <em>到</em> 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ liánxì, dànshì yīzhí liánxì bu <em>dào</em> nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I always wanted to get in touch with you, but hasn't got a hold of you.</span>
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*我 想 跟 你 <strong>联系</strong> ,但是 一直 <strong>联系</strong> <em>到</em> 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ <strong>liánxì</strong>, dànshì yīzhí <strong>liánxì</strong> <em>bu dào</em> nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I wanted to get in touch with you, but could never reach you.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:Result complement]]
 
[[Category:Result complement]]
  
{{Basic Grammar|到|B1|Verb + 到|他 做 <em>到</em> 了 吗 ?|grammar point|ASGCUSIV}}
+
{{Basic Grammar|到|B2|Verb + 到|他 做 <em>到</em> 了 吗 ?|grammar point|ASGCUSIV}}
 
{{Similar|Result complements "dao" and "jian"}}
 
{{Similar|Result complements "dao" and "jian"}}
 
{{Similar|Result complement}}
 
{{Similar|Result complement}}

Latest revision as of 07:27, 17 December 2020

You probably learned the result complement -到 a long time ago, as part of words like 看到 ("to see") and 听到 ("to hear"). But other times it's less clear what the -到 really means. Like the difference between 买 and 买到 or 做 and 做到. What -到 adds is a clearer message that something has really been achieved.

The Difference a -到 Makes

Adding -到 after a verb makes it very clear that the desired result was achieved. If you looked and you saw, then 到 indicates that. On the other hand, not adding 到 makes it unclear whether or not the desired result was achieved. It can have the effect of making a verb mean "try to verb." So 做 without -到 is kind of like "try to do," but when you want to make it very clear that results were achieved or must be achieved, that's when you want to add -到.

Let's look at another example. The difference between 找 and 找到 is that 找 means "to search" (in other words, "to try to find"), whereas 找到 means "to find," that the search was successful, and results were achieved. So if one were to say "你一定要找," it would mean "you must try to find it" and "你一定要找到" means "you must find it."

Illustrative Examples

做 vs. 做到

It's often assumed that if you're going to 做 something, it'll be to completion. But if there's ever any doubt, or a situation where "to completion" needs to be made crystal clear, use 做到.

  • 我 还 没有 Wǒ hái méiyǒu zuò.I haven‘t done it.
  • 我 下 个 星期 可以 Wǒ xià gè xīngqī kěyǐ zuò.I can do it next week.
  • 我 相信 你 一定 能 Wǒ xiāngxìn nǐ yīdìng néng zuòdào.I believe you will be able to do it.

买 vs. 买到

买 is another one where success is normally assumed, but every now and then it's not so easy to just buy something. That's where 买到 comes in handy.

  • 我 还 没有 Wǒ hái méiyǒu mǎi.I haven't bought it yet.
  • 我 没 Wǒ méi mǎidào.I wasn't able to buy it.
  • 这里 不 到 进口 食品 。Zhèlǐ mǎibu dào jìnkǒu shípǐn.You can't buy imported good here.

学 vs. 学到

You know how when you're studying, you know information is going into your brain, but you're not sure how well it's really sticking? Well, when you're sure of what's stuck, you can use 学到.

  • 我 想 中文 。Wǒ xiǎng xué Zhōngwén.I want to study Chinese.
  • 我们 今天 了 很 多 生词 。Wǒmen jīntiān xué le hěn duō shēngcí.Today we studied many new words.
  • 在 这个 公司 工作 ,我 了 很 多 东西。Zài zhège gōngsī gōngzuò, wǒ xuédào le hěn duō dōngxi.Working for this company, I learned a lot of things.

拿 vs. 拿到

A simple act of physically picking something up or taking something usually involves 拿. When the object becomes some kind of hard-to-get document, however, 拿到 is useful.

  • 小包 ,我 大包 。 xiǎo bāo, wǒ dà bāo.You take the small bag, I'll take the big bag.
  • 不 知道 什么 时候 能 我 的 工作 签证 。Bù zhīdào shénme shíhou néng dào wǒ de gōngzuò qiānzhèng.I'm not sure when I'll be able to get my work visa.
  • 如果 他 不 到 绿卡 ,我 就 跟 他 分手 。Rúguǒ tā ná bu dào lǜkǎ, wǒ jiù gēn tā fēnshǒu.If he can't get a green card, I will break up with him.

想 vs. 想到

If you think of 想 as "looking for ideas," then 想 and 想到 are very similar to 找 and 找到. One difference, though, is that 没想到 means "never imagined." It's not that you tried to think of something and failed, it's just that the idea never occurred to you.

  • 一定 要 一 个办法 。Yīdìng yào xiǎng yī gè bànfǎ.You have to think of a way.
  • 了 什么 好 办法 ?xiǎngdào le shénme hǎo bànfǎ?Have you thought of anything good yet?
  • 我们 都 没 他 这么 生气 。Wǒmen dōu méi xiǎngdào tā zhème shēngqì.None of us imagined that he would be so mad.

追 vs. 追到

This one is tricky, because "pursue" is a metaphor, and there's no obvious result. "Catch" sounds way too misogynistic and old-fashioned. 追到 actually involves more than just effort on the part of the pursuer; you have to move the girl's (or guy's) heart.

  • 怎么 女孩子 ?Zěnme zhuī nǚ háizi?How do you pursue a girl?
  • 那 个 女孩子 ,你 了吗 ?Nàge nǚháizi, nǐ zhuīdào le ma? That girl, did you win her over yet?
  • 如果 你 她 了 ,我 就 请 你 喝酒 。Rúguǒ nǐ zhuīdào tā le, wǒ jiù qǐng nǐ hējiǔ.If you can really win her over, I'll treat you to drinks.

了解 vs. 了解到

了解 indicates some kind of deep understanding, often one that only comes over a long period of time. But if you suddenly get some new in-depth information, 了解到 may be appropriate.

  • 我 不 太 了解 这个 人 。Wǒ bù tài liǎojiě zhège rén.I don't really know this person well.
  • 我们 刚刚 了解 一些 新 的 消息 。Wǒmen gānggāng liǎojiě dào yīxiē xīn de xiāoxī.We just acquired some new information.
  • 从 他 那里 ,我 了解 了 真相 。Cóng tā nàlǐ, wǒ liǎojiě dào le zhēnxiàng.I learned the real truth of the matter from him.

联系 vs. 联系到

You can think of 联系 as "initiate contact" and 联系到 as "establish contact."

  • 我们 怎么 联系Wǒmen zěnme liánxì?How do we get in contact?
  • 你 知道 他 的 联系 方式 吗 ?Nǐ zhīdào tā de liánxì fāngshì ma?Do you have his contact information?
  • 我 想 跟 你 联系 ,但是 一直 联系 不 到 你 。Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ liánxì, dànshì yīzhí liánxì bu dào nǐ.I wanted to get in touch with you, but could never reach you.
HSK5