HSK · Level 104
45 words
Chinese word
到头来
Pronunciation
Pinyindào tóu lái
Meaning
- adverbin the end
Example
他想了很多办法，到头来还是没用。tā xiǎng le hěn duō bàn fǎ dào tóu lái hái shì méi yòng
He thought of many ways, but in the end, none of them helped.
More examples
经过多次尝试，他到头来只好放弃了。jīng guò duō cì cháng shì tā dào tóu lái zhí hǎo fàng qì le
After many attempts, he ultimately had no choice but to give up.
Core concept
A process passes through its stages and arrives at the result that remains at the end.
Common phrases
到头来还是dào tóu lái hái shì
ultimately still
到头来只好dào tóu lái zhí hǎo
ultimately can only
到头来一场空dào tóu lái yì cháng kōng
ultimately all for nothing
Similar words
到底dào dǐ: In a question or emphatic statement, asks or stresses what the final outcome really is.
终于zhōng yú: Shows that something hoped for finally happens after a long wait or process.
终究zhōng jiū: Shows that an unavoidable result occurs in the end.
Definition in Chinese
表示经过一系列变化或尝试以后达到的最终状态或结论，可以中性也常带有出乎意料或无奈的意味。biǎo shì jīng guò yí xì liè biàn huà huò cháng shì yǐ hòu dá dào de zuì zhōng zhuàng tài huò jié lùn ké yǐ zhōng xìng yě cháng dài yǒu chū hū yì liào huò wú nài de yì wèi
Word origin
到 (dào, "reach") + 头 (tóu, "end") + 来 (lái, "come") presents the final result as something that comes after the whole process.
Usage tips
- Unlike a neutral time marker, this adverb commonly highlights the outcome that remains after several changes or attempts, especially when the outcome feels unexpected.