Chinese Complement – 到 dào

The complement 到 dào indicates that an action has successfully reached its goal or result. In other words, the action was completed effectively. You can think of 到 dào as meaning to reach / to achieve in English.

到 dào

我wǒ昨天zuótiān終於zhōngyú找zhǎo到dào了le那nà家jiā很hěn有名yǒumíng的de甜點tiándiǎn店diàn了le我wǒ昨天zuótiān终于zhōngyú找zhǎo到dào了le那nà家jiā很hěn有名yǒumíng的de甜点tiándiǎn店diàn了le
I finally found that famous dessert shop yesterday.

我wǒ早上zǎoshàng七qī點diǎn就jiù看到kàndào他tā在zài公園gōngyuán跑步pǎobù我wǒ早上zǎoshang七qī点diǎn就jiù看到kàndào他tā在zài公园gōngyuán跑步pǎobù
I saw him jogging in the park at 7 a.m.

我wǒ跑pǎo了le半bàn個ge小時xiǎoshí， 才cái找zhǎo到dào那nà隻zhī狗gǒu我wǒ跑pǎo了le半bàn个ge小时xiǎoshí， 才cái找zhǎo到dào那nà只zhī狗gǒu
I ran for half an hour before I finally found that dog.

他tā昨天zuótiān沒méi買mǎi到dào票piào他tā昨天zuótiān没méi买mǎi到dào票piào
He didn’t manage to buy a ticket yesterday.

得dé了le新冠xīnguàn後hòu， 我wǒ聞wén不bú到dào味道wèidào得dé了le新冠xīnguàn后hòu， 我wǒ闻wén不bu到dào味道wèidào
After getting COVID, I can’t smell anything.

東西dōngxī太tài高gāo了le， 孩子háizi拿ná不bú到dào东西dōngxi太tài高gāo了le， 孩子háizi拿ná不bu到dào
The thing is too high; the child can’t reach it.

你nǐ看kàn得de到dào鬼guǐ嗎ma？ 你nǐ看kàn得de到dào鬼guǐ吗ma？
Can you see ghosts?

我wǒ昨天zuótiān遲到chídào了le， 所以suǒyǐ沒méi學xué到dào這個zhège文法wénfǎ我wǒ昨天zuótiān迟到chídào了le， 所以suǒyǐ没méi学xué到dào这个zhège文法wénfǎ
I was late yesterday, so I didn’t learn this grammar point.