ChineseGrammarWiki/Programmes/B2.old/Grammar-wiki-B2-21.txt

{{Grammar Box}} 

到底 (dàodǐ) literally means "to the bottom," and often is used where the speaker wants to get to the bottom of a problem or issue, emphasizing or questioning what the real reason for something is. 

== 到底 as 毕竟 or "in the end" ==

It is often used like [[毕竟]], to mean "after all" or "in the end." When used in this way, 到底 is used to emphasize a reason or characteristic the speaker considers to be most important.

===Structure 1===

<div class="jiegou">

到底 + Reason / Characteristic 

</div>

===Examples===

<div class="liju">
*<em>到底</em> 是 个 大 老板，出手 就是 大方 。 <span class="expl">"He is a high-level boss, after all...")</span>
*<em>到底</em> 是 个 高手，这么 快 就 把 问题 解决 了！<span class="expl">"He is a master, after all...")</span>
*<em>到底</em> 还 是 孩子，有些 事情 他 不 懂 是 很 正常 的。<span class="expl">"He is a kid, after all...")</span>
</div>

=== Structure 2 ===

<div class="jiegou">

虽然 + A， 但是 + 到底 + B， C
</div>

In this structure, A and B are reasons or characteristics, and C is a result or conclusion. For this one, although it's possible to use 到底, [[毕竟]] is definitely the more common choice, so for examples of this usage, see [[expressing "after all" with "bijing"]]. [[毕竟]] can be placed before and after the Subject in this case, but 到底 is usually placed after the Subject.

== 到底 as 究竟 or "on earth" ==

到底 can be used to mean "on earth," where it is used to emphasize a question. In this sense, 到底 is similar to [[Expressing "In the End" with "jiujing"|究竟]].

===Structure===

<div class="jiegou">

到底 + Question Word

到底 + Verb＋不 / 没＋Verb

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
*你 <em>到底</em> 怎么 了？<span class="trans">What on earth is up with you?</span>
*<em>到底</em> 怎么 走？<span class="trans">How on earth do we get there?</span>
*快 说 啊！你 男友 <em>到底</em> 是 谁？<span class="trans">Come on! Who on earth is your boyfriend?</span>
*你 <em>到底</em> 说 不 说？<span class="trans">Are you going to say it or not?</span>
*你 <em>到底</em> 喜 不 喜欢 我？<span class="trans">Do you like me or not?</span>
*他们 <em>到底</em> 离 没 离婚？<span class="trans">Did they get divorced or not?</span>
</div>

Note that 到底 can't appear in an answer to a question. Also, 吗 can't appear in a question formed with 到底 but 没有 can be used instead:

<div class="liju">

<ul>
<li class="o"> 你 到底 吃 了 没有 ？</li>
<li class="x"> 你 到底 吃 了 吗 ？</li>
</ul>
	
</div>

== 到底 as 终于 or "finally" ==

到底 can be used to mean "finally." In this sense, 到底 is similar to [[Expressing "finally" with "zhongyu"|终于]].

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">

到底＋Verb＋了

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

*天气 <em>到底</em> 暖和 起来 了。<span class="trans">It‘s finally getting warm.</span>
*他 <em>到底</em> 想 明白 了。<span class="trans">He finally understood.</span>
*经过 两 年 多 的 努力，我们 的 项目<em>到底</em> 成功 了。<span class="trans">Our program finally succeed after we worked on this for over two years.</span>


</div>

==See also==

* [[Expressing "After All" with "bijing"]]
* [[Expressing "In the End" with "jiujing"]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) ]] (pp. 127-33) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]
* [[Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 2 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇)]] (pp.183-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00112ZL5A/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00112ZL5A →buy]
{{Basic Grammar|到底|B2|到底|事情 <em>到底</em> 是 办 成 了 。|grammar point|ASGTVEHJ}}
{{Similar|Expressing "After All" with "bijing"}}
{{Similar|Expressing "In the End" with "jiujing"}}
{{Rel char|毕竟}}
{{Rel char|究竟}}
{{Used for|Exclaiming}}
{{POS|Adverbs}}