到底 dàodǐ — after all, when it comes down to it; (in questions) just what/who/why…

Meanings

1. 1

   after all, when it comes down to it; (in questions) just what/who/why…

   Literally "to reach the bottom" — past every distraction, to the thing itself. In a statement it marks the fact that survives everything else: 他到底是老师，懂得多. In a question it presses for the one true answer: 你到底去不去, are you going or not — tell me plainly.

   adverb

Character breakdown

• 到

  dào (fourth tone, falling)

  to arrive, to reach, to get to; to go to; up to, until; (as a verb complement) successfully

  8 strokes⿰至刂Radical 刀

Example sentences

• 你到底去不去？快告诉我。/你到底去不去？快告訴我。Nǐ (third tone, dipping) dàodǐ (fourth tone, falling) qù (fourth tone, falling) bú (second tone, rising) qù? (fourth tone, falling) Kuài (fourth tone, falling) gàosu (fourth tone, falling) wǒ. (third tone, dipping)···

  Are you going or not, after all? Tell me quickly.

• 这个工作虽然很难，但是他到底完成了。/這個工作雖然很難，但是他到底完成了。Zhège (fourth tone, falling) gōngzuò (first tone, high and level) suīrán (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) nán, (second tone, rising) dànshì (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) dàodǐ (fourth tone, falling) wánchéng (second tone, rising) le. (neutral tone)···

  Although this work was difficult, he finished it in the end.

Words containing 到

• 到dào (fourth tone, falling)to arrive, to get to
• 遇到yùdào (fourth tone, falling)to run into, to bump into (by chance)
• 迟到/遲到chídào (second tone, rising)to be late, to arrive late