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到dàoto reach; to arrive

HSK 1word

By Chinese Copilot · Last updated

到 (dào) means "to reach" or "to arrive" at a place, and can also mean "to go to" a destination. Put it before a place: 到家 means "arrive home." It can take 来 or 去 after the place, or another verb for going somewhere to do something.

What does 到 mean?

  1. 1.

    to reach; to arriveverb

  2. 2.

    to leave for; to go toverb

  3. 3.

    to (a place); until (a time); up to (a point)verb

What does the character 到 mean?

  • 到to reach; to arrive

How do you use 到?

Grammar patterns

  1. 1

    Subj. + 到 + Place

    Use 到 before a place to say someone arrives there or has reached that place.

  2. 2

    到 + Place + 来 / 去

    Add 来 or 去 after the place to mark coming toward or going away from the speaker.

  3. 3

    Subj. + 到 + Place + Verb Phrase

    Use 到 plus a place, then another verb, for going to that place to do something.

到 often stresses the destination or arrival; 去 stresses going, and 来 stresses coming toward the speaker.

Patterns

  • 到 + Place + 了

    他们到公司了。

    Tāmen dào gōngsī le.

    They have arrived at the office.

  • 到 + Place + 去

    他到学校去。

    Tā dào xuéxiào qù.

    He's going to school.

What are some examples of 到 in a sentence?

  1. HSK 1

    我到家了。

    Wǒ dào jiā le.

    I've arrived home.

  2. HSK 1

    你到学校了吗？

    Nǐ dào xuéxiào le ma?

    Have you arrived at school?

  3. HSK 1

    请到我家来。

    Qǐng dào wǒ jiā lái.

    Please come to my house.

  4. HSK 1

    我们到饭店吃饭。

    Wǒmen dào fàndiàn chī fàn.

    We're going to a restaurant to eat.

How is 到 different from 去?

到 stresses arriving at or heading for a destination. 去 (qù) means "to go" and stresses the going itself. For "Have you arrived?" 到 is the natural choice.

Only 到 fits here

你到家了吗？

Nǐ dào jiā le ma?

Have you arrived home?

How is 到 used in a conversation?

  1. Speaker A:

    你到家了吗？

    Nǐ dào jiā le ma?

    Have you arrived home?

  2. Speaker B:

    到了。

    Dào le.

    I've arrived.

  3. Speaker A:

    晚上你到哪儿吃饭？

    Wǎnshang nǐ dào nǎr chī fàn?

    Where are you going to eat tonight?

  4. Speaker B:

    我到饭店吃饭。

    Wǒ dào fàndiàn chī fàn.

    I'm going to a restaurant to eat.

  5. Speaker A:

    你能到我家来吗？

    Nǐ néng dào wǒ jiā lái ma?

    Can you come to my house?

  6. Speaker B:

    可以，我下午到。

    Kěyǐ, wǒ xiàwǔ dào.

    Yes, I'll arrive in the afternoon.

Can you use 到 correctly?

0 of 3 answered
  1. 1.Fill in the blank: 我___家了。
  2. 2.Fill in the blank: 请___我家来。
  3. 3.Which sentence asks whether someone has arrived?

What should you learn next?

Related words

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English glosses on this page are adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG (snapshot 2026-10-23), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Glosses were edited for learners.