(zhí dào) - until, up to, not until in Mandarin
zhídàoTraditional: 直到
Translation
until, up to, not until
Word origin
直到 (zhídào) 'until' joins 直 (zhí, 'straight') and 到 (dào, 'to arrive, reach'). 直 shows an eye 目 with a vertical line marking a straight line of sight; 到 pairs 至 (zhì, 'to arrive') with 刀 (dāo) phonetic.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 直 (zhí, 目 eye + straight line) + 到 (dào, 至 arrive + 刀 phonetic)
Stroke order
直
到
Examples
。
I will wait until you come.
，。
Not until today did I learn the truth.
深。
He worked until late at night.
八。
He did not get home until eight o'clock.
。
We kept working until it got dark.
直到 (zhí dào) means until or up to a point in time. 直 means straight or directly and 到 means to arrive at. Together they indicate continuous duration up to a moment (直到深夜, until late at night; 直到现在, up until now). It often pairs with 才 (cái) to express only then: 直到那时，我才明白 (not until then did I understand). This structure emphasises the delay or lateness of a realisation.
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Go to my review queueThis word is part of lesson 12.