how to use this word (到）

[shakingcrane]

Hi

can someone please explain to me the usage of dao(4) (到）[/b]

[xuechengfeng]

There is a few uses I would say.. The most obvious one to me would be using it in the sense of the word (to).

今年我到日本去了。

I went to Japan this year.

or the other way I know how to use it is..

我們看到第十二課。

We can read up to lesson 12.

In this sense you add verb + dao, meaning you can do X (up to) Y.

Last way I know is using it in a resultative context for certain verbs..

for example,

看到 - succeed in seeing

看的到 - be able to see

看不到 - be unable to see

[thepokergod]

Yeah as above says, can also use for time eg:

从五点到六点。。。

From x to y

Also can be used to mean "arrive"

飞机到了

Plane has arrived.

[Guest]

看到 - succeed in seeing

看的到 - be able to see

看不到 - be unable to see

A small correction here- be able to see is 看得到, not 看的到

[xuechengfeng]

According to DeFrancis book (which was written awhile ago)..

In adverbial expressions of manner such as paode kuai 'run fast' the syllable de is traditionally represented by the character 的. Some writers prefer to use instead the character 得. The latter is used with increasingly greater consistency in the PRC.

Maybe since the book has been written 得 has become the standard, but it appears 的 can be used in a traditional means?

Correct me if me/he is wrong.

[roddy]

I didn't know that, only ever seen 得， except when I write 的 and get told it's a mistake. I'll take great pleasure in telling people this is 古代的错误.

Roddy

[Quest]

的地得 are not homonyms in dialects, it's wrong to say 跑的快 in Cantonese. When you are in doubt, try to use the original pronunciations of 的地得 (de5/di5 di4 de2) to double check.

[Claw]

According to DeFrancis book (which was written awhile ago)..

In adverbial expressions of manner such as paode kuai 'run fast' the syllable de is traditionally represented by the character 的. Some writers prefer to use instead the character 得. The latter is used with increasingly greater consistency in the PRC.

The DeFrancis book is completely wrong on this. As Quest has said' date=' 的, 地, and 得 are not homonyms in dialects such as Cantonese (pronounced dik, dei, and dak, respectively) and it has never been correct to write 的 for 得.

You can usually figure out which one to use by using one of these patterns... they're not hard-and-fast rules, but they apply most of the time (parentheses indicate parts that are optional):

used to link a descriptive phrase with a noun: [b']descriptive phrase - 的 - (noun)[/b]

used to indicate the result or the potential of a verb: verb - 得 - adjective

converts an adjective into a diminutive adverb: duplicated adjective - 地 - (verb)

[roddy]

That's why I didn't know it then

Roddy

[geraldc]

I was told by my teacher that using 的 rather than 得 was a Taiwanese thing, of course she could be wrong...

[Guest]

I'm the one who first corrected it in this thread, and I'm in Taiwan. I think some Taiwanese are lazy, and type 的 instead of 得 or 地. But, teachers here say 看的到 is wrong too. It should be 看得到.

I think the 的 mistake comes from people who use 注音 (bpmf) input. If you use 倉頡, you'll never make that mistake.

[heianderen]

Yong Ho - Chinese-English Frequency Dictionary

[18] 到

1. arrive; reach; go: 火车到了站 (the train has arrived at the station)

2. to; up until; up to: 从早到晚 (from morning till night) 从亚洲到欧洲 (from Asia to Europe)

3. used after a verb to indicate a place o time that the action extends to: 寄到中国 (mail to China); 完到时点 (plat till ten o'clock)

4. used after a verb to suggest the succesful accomplishment of an action that involves a certain amount of difficulty and effort, cf. 买了电影票 (bought the movie ticket - no difficulty suggested), 买到了电影票 (succeded in buying the movie ticket - difficulty suggested); 吃了北京烤鸭 (ate Peking Duck - no difficulty suggested; it was easily available), 吃到了北京烤鸭 (managed to eat Peking Duck - difficulty suggested; there may have been many people waiting in line)

5. used after certain verbs to mean touch upon: 说到了你 (mentioned you) 写到了这件事 (touched upon this matter in writing); 问倒了这个问题 (this question was brought up)

I hope this will help you.

[shakingcrane]

Thank you All for helping me.

谢谢

[xuechengfeng]

What is a dimunitive adverb?

[Claw]

What is a dimunitive adverb?

Sorry... there are actually two uses of ＸＸ地, one is to change an adjective Ｘ to an adverb, and the other is to give the the adjective a diminutive meaning. I ended up conflating the two.

Anyway, here are examples of each:

Adjective to Adverb: 他慢慢地走 = He walked slowly.

Diminutive Adjective: 紅紅地的眼睛 = reddish eyes (the ＸＸ地 is similar to the English -ish suffix, so 紅紅地 means reddish, or a bit red)

[skylee]

Diminutive Adjective: 紅紅地的眼睛 = reddish eyes (the ＸＸ地 is similar to the English -ish suffix, so 紅紅地 means reddish, or a bit red)

No, I don't think so. I think this is incorrect, but I am very poor at explaining about grammar. (In Cantonese 紅紅地 does mean reddish, though.)

[thepokergod]

Using the wrong "de" would confuse the hell out of me. In PRC i have only ever been taught

used to link a descriptive phrase with a noun: descriptive phrase - 的 - (noun)

used to indicate the result or the potential of a verb: verb - 得 - adjective

converts an adjective into a diminutive adverb: duplicated adjective - 地 - (verb)

[Quest]

Diminutive Adjective: 紅紅地的眼睛 = reddish eyes (the ＸＸ地 is similar to the English -ish suffix, so 紅紅地 means reddish, or a bit red)

I think xx哋 (高高哋，瘦瘦哋，肥肥哋) is a Cantonese-only usage.

[ala]

In Shanghainese:

的 = tich [tiI?]

得 = tach [t6?]

地 = di [di]

All different.

的 is rarely used, usually only in lexical terms, like 的确.

Adjective modifier particle uses 个 äch [h6?].

Mandarin 得 (verbial) is either 嘞 [lach] or 得来 [taele]

Redish = 红希希 önshishi [ho~ Si Si]

Pinkish = 发红希希 faeönshishi [f6? ho~ Si Si]

Redish (glowing) = 红通通 önthonthon [ho~ tho~ tho~]

Yellowish = 黄哈哈 wanhaha [hua~ ha ha]

Rather stupid = 戆喊喊 ganhehe [ga~ hE hE] or 戆希希 ganshishi [ga~ Si Si]

[Claw]

I think xx哋 (高高哋，瘦瘦哋，肥肥哋) is a Cantonese-only usage.

Ah okay... I'm mixing up my Mandarin and Cantonese. Sorry!