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Expressing "until" with 到 ("dao4")

到 dào

Verb
HSK 3

Structure

(一直 +) Verb + 到 + Time / Event [Verb Phrase] (+ 一直) + Verb + 到 + Time / Event

Translations

  • until

Definition

表示动作或状态持续到某个时间点，相当于英语中的“until”。

Indicates that an action or state continues up to a specific point in time, equivalent to 'until' in English.

Usage

“到”后面接时间词或时间从句，常用在动词后表示动作持续到该时间。也可以用于空间，但表示“until”时主要时间范畴。

It is followed by a time word or clause, often placed after a verb to indicate the duration of an action up to that time. It can also be used spatially, but for 'until' it is mainly temporal.

Examples

  • 1 我工作到晚上十点。(I work until 10 p.m.)
  • 2 请等到我回来。(Please wait until I come back.)
  • 3 他学习到半夜才睡觉。(He studied until midnight before going to sleep.)
  • 4 商店营业到晚上九点。(The store is open until 9 p.m.)
  • 5 我们一直聊天到天亮。(We talked until dawn.)

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