到
to arrive; to (a place); until
dào
What does 到 mean?
到 (dào) is one of the most flexible verbs in beginner Chinese. Three core uses: as a main verb it means 'to arrive / to reach' (我到了, 'I've arrived'); as a preposition it marks the destination of motion, paired with 从 (cóng, 'from'), as in 从北京到上海 ('from Beijing to Shanghai'); and as a verb complement attached to other verbs, it signals successful completion of an action — 听到 ('heard,' i.e. successfully perceived), 看到 ('saw'), 找到 ('found'). This complement use is what English speakers find tricky: 我听 means 'I listen,' while 我听到了 means 'I heard it' — the 到 confirms the action reached its target. Also used for time: 从一点到三点 ('from 1 to 3 o'clock').
Character breakdown
to arrive; to reach; up to
Example sentences
我到了，你在哪儿？
Wǒ dào le, nǐ zài nǎr?
I'm here, where are you?
spoken
从我家到学校要二十分钟。
Cóng wǒ jiā dào xuéxiào yào èrshí fēnzhōng.
It takes twenty minutes from my home to school.
neutral
我没看到他。
Wǒ méi kàn dào tā.
I didn't see him.
spoken
你的钥匙找到了吗？
Nǐ de yàoshi zhǎo dào le ma?
Did you find your keys?
spoken
商店从九点开到晚上十点。
Shāngdiàn cóng jiǔ diǎn kāi dào wǎnshang shí diǎn.
The shop is open from 9 to 10 p.m.
neutral
Common phrases with 到
Synonyms
Formal/written 'to / until' — appears in writing and set phrases (从早至晚, 'from morning till night'). 到 is the everyday version; 至 sounds literary.
Formal 'to arrive at' — used for flights, trains, official announcements. Say 飞机抵达北京 in a news report; say 飞机到了 in conversation.
Don't confuse 到 with
倒 is a different character meaning 'to pour' (dào, e.g. 倒水 'pour water') or 'to fall over' (dǎo, e.g. 摔倒 'fall down'). Same pinyin as 到 in one reading but completely different meaning.
道 means 'road / way / Daoism' or is a measure word for things like dishes (一道菜). Same pinyin, very different meaning.
得 (de) is a structural particle for verb complements (跑得快, 'runs fast'), distinct from the result-marking 到. Don't substitute one for the other.