dào到
dǐ底
(Mandarin)
(Cantonese)

HSK 4

Dictionary

finally/in the end/when all is said and done/after all/to the end/to the last

Examples

你到底想说什么?

Nǐ dàodǐ xiǎng shuō shénme?

→ What exactly are you trying to say?

Did You Know?

Grammar

Word Formation

到 means 'to arrive' and 底 means 'bottom' or 'end'.

Usage Tips

到底 is used in questions to express persistence or impatience, e.g., 你到底去不去? (Are you going or not?), and also means 'in the end' in statements: 他到底成功了 (He finally succeeded).