Chinese–EnglishWith examples

等到

děng dào · deng dao

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 2

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to wait until
  2. by the time when (sth is ready etc)
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In a conversation

0:16 cartoon

Waiting for fireworks

  1. Liangliang

    烟花(yānhuā)什么(shénme)时候(shíhou)开始(kāishǐ)？

    When do the fireworks start?

  2. Dengdeng

    等到(děngdào)天黑(tiānhēi)就(jiù)开始(kāishǐ)。

    They start once it gets dark.

  3. Liangliang

    等到(děngdào)天黑(tiānhēi)，我(wǒ)肯定(kěndìng)饿(è)了(le)。

    By the time it is dark, I will surely be hungry.

  4. Dengdeng

    那(nà)我们(wǒmen)先(xiān)吃(chī)东西(dōngxi)，等到(děngdào)烟花(yānhuā)开始(kāishǐ)再(zài)回来(huílai)。

    Then let's eat first and come back when the fireworks start.

  5. Liangliang

    不用(bùyòng)，我(wǒ)已经(yǐjīng)把(bǎ)吃的(chīde)带(dài)来(lái)了(le)。

    No need. I already brought food.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

等(děng)到(dào)警(jǐng)察(chá)来(lái)的(de)时(shí)候(hou)，天(tiān)大(dà)概(gài)也(yě)黑(hēi)了(le)吧(ba)。

It will be dark by the time the police come here.

Tatoeba: Chinese by nickyeow · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

02

在(zài)这(zhè)儿(r)等(děng)到(dào)他(tā)回(huí)来(lái)为(wéi)止(zhǐ)。

Wait here till he comes back.

Tatoeba: Chinese by fucongcong · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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The characters

Explore individually
等
děng

to wait for; to await; by the time; when; till

到
dào

to reach; to arrive; to leave for; to go to

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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