Chinese Conversation · Level 36
90 words
Chinese word
到点
Pronunciation
Pinyindào diǎn
Meaning
- verbit's time
Example
到点了，我们走吧。dào diǎn le wǒ men zǒu ba
It's time; let's go.
More examples
商店到点就关门了。shāng diàn dào diǎn jiù guān mén le
The store closes when the time comes.
Core concept
A clock reaches the point that marks the start or end of a planned action.
Common phrases
到点开会dào diǎn kāi huì
begin the meeting on time
到点关门dào diǎn guān mén
close when it's time
Similar words
到dào: Reach a particular time or place.
开始kāi shǐ: Begin an action or process.
出发chū fā: Set off to go somewhere.
Definition in Chinese
到了该开始或结束某事的时间点。dào le gāi kāi shǐ huò jié shù mǒu shì de shí jiān diǎn
Word origin
到 (dào, "arrive") + 点 (diǎn, "point") combines arrival with a specific time point, so the compound means that the scheduled moment has arrived.
Usage tips
- Unlike English "on time," which commonly describes punctual performance, 到点 (dàodiǎn, "at the scheduled time") centers on the clock reaching a planned point and can announce a start or a stop.
Other meanings
- at the scheduled timeadverb
Opposites
- 晚点wán diǎnbe lateverb